Newcastle United hero Philippe Albert says Belgian pair Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen will continue to improve in England.

Manchester City captain Kompany and Arsenal's Vermaelen have both proved themselves since moving to England.

Albert said: "Kompany and Vermaelen are both defenders at a world class level. Their big advantage is that they are very consistent and rarely play a less than good match. They are also leaders. They can organize a defence perfectly.

"Modern defenders like Vermaelen and Kompany both tackle and give precise long balls. The move to the Premier League, which is still the best league in the world, has improved them. The rhythm and intensity is so high and you have to stay focused for the entire 90 minutes."