Virgil van Dijk's exceptional performance in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday further solidified his reputation as one of the best center-backs in the Premier League. The victory moved Liverpool nine points clear at the top of the table, and 11 points ahead of reigning champions City. This result led former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher to praise Van Dijk on social media, declaring him the best center-back we've ever seen in the Premier League.
Carragher, who previously considered John Terry the best, now firmly backs Van Dijk. He pointed out that, unlike other top defenders in history, no attacker seems to cause Van Dijk any real trouble. Over the past few days, Van Dijk has successfully shut down top talents like Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, handling them with ease, as Carragher put it, "he could've played with a cigar." He called for an end to the debate about the best center-back, emphasizing that Van Dijk’s dominance is unmatched.
Van Dijk, 33, has more than justified Liverpool's world-record £75m investment when they signed him from Southampton in 2018. He has been a key figure in Liverpool's triumphs, including the Premier League and Champions League titles. Since joining, Van Dijk has won 148 of his 210 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, boasting an impressive 70.5% win ratio, which places him behind only John Stones and Nemanja Vidic among center-backs. His clean sheet percentage of 43% is also among the highest for players with 200 or more starts, with only Vidic, Tony Adams, and John Terry ahead of him.
Van Dijk also excels in duels, winning a higher percentage of both duels and aerial duels than any other Premier League center-back since 2006-07. He is particularly difficult to dribble past, having been beaten only 29 times in over 3,500 minutes of play since January 2018, which averages out to once every seven games.
In a debate about the greatest center-backs, former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton highlighted the differences between Van Dijk, John Terry, and Rio Ferdinand. While Sutton acknowledges Van Dijk’s all-around game, he also praises Terry’s defensive prowess and Ferdinand’s trophy haul, suggesting a joint ranking for the three defenders. Former goalkeeper Shay Given added that opinions on the best center-back vary, but there is no denying Van Dijk’s place among the elite.
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