Former Liverpool midfielder Don Hutchinson has put Reds defender Virgil van Dijk’s name forward as a candidate for this season’s Player of the Year award.
The Dutch international has enjoyed a phenomenal season at the heart of his team’s defence, helping Jurgen Klopp’s team launched a two-pronged assault on the Premier League and Champions League titles.
Hutchinson believes he would be a worthy recipient of the top prize: “VVD or [Raheem] Sterling,” he wrote on his personal Twitter account in reply to a tweet that asked who should win the award.
“Son [Heung-min] with a mention,’ he also said, giving credit to the Manchester City and Tottenham duo as well.
https://twitter.com/donhutch4/status/1118512367552335872
OPINION
Van Dijk and Sterling would, at this stage, appear to be the leading candidates for the award. They are the two most important players to the two teams competing for the Premier League title. A couple of months ago you could have made the case for Bernardo Silva, Sergio Aguero or America Laporte being more crucial to City’s success than Sterling, but that is undoubtedly not the case anymore. The Englishman has become a truly world class player and the talisman of Pep Guardiola’s side. So he deserves to share top billing with Van Dijk, but the award belongs to the Liverpool star. The Dutchman has simply been head and shoulders above everyone else in the top flight this season and that cannot be ignored. He is the best defender in the world, there’s no more doubt about that. As for Son, he’s been tremendous, but whether he deserves to be in the top three is debatable.
