Gary Neville has claimed that no one comes close to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk in the running to win the Premier League player of the season award.
Van Dijk has been phenomenal for the Reds this season, and put in another assured display as the Merseyside giants beat Southampton 3-1 at St Mary’s on Friday night to return to the top of the league standings.
Neville has been awestruck by the range of passing that the Netherlands international has showcased at Anfield, and has suggested that an injury for him could have a major impact on Jurgen Klopp’s squad.
“His in-possession play, his passing, is a joke,” said Neville, as shown by Sky Sports Premier League’s official Twitter account on Friday night.
“It’s unbelievable the trajectory of his passes. He passes like a central midfield player.
“To me, he’s the player in the team who every Liverpool player will say ‘if there’s one injury we don’t want, it’s him’. He can’t get injured, he’s the one that’s got to stay fit.”
When asked by presenter Kelly Cates if van Dijk is the overall player of the season in the Premier League, Neville said: “100 per cent, for me.
“There’s not even anyone else close to him.”
"There isn't anybody close to him" @GNev2 has made his shout for the Premier League player of the year…
Watch now live on Sky Sports PL pic.twitter.com/dMT0pGzPIe
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 5, 2019
OPINION
As nice as it is to hear Neville wax lyrical about van Dijk (or any Liverpool player, for that matter), you have to admit that the Dutch centre-back isn’t a 100 per cent sure-bet to win the player of the season award. Raheem Sterling has been outstanding for Manchester City this season and if anyone is going to run van Dijk close, it will be the England forward. That’s not to downplay van Dijk’s performances for Liverpool this season at all. He has been phenomenal and there is now a solid argument to say that he’s the best defender in world football. Liverpool are so lucky to have a player like him because he has been the difference in the bid for the Premier League title this season. If Klopp had not signed him from Southampton last January, then Man City might already have the title wrapped up by now. He is superb and could go on to be one of the best centre-backs in Liverpool’s long and glorious history.
