Dumsha Wijesinghe JadeTimes Staff
W.G.S.D.Wijesinghe is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Sports News
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk delivered another outstanding performance on Sunday, keeping Manchester City’s prolific striker Erling Haaland quiet in a crucial 2-0 victory. The win propelled Liverpool nine points clear at the top of the table and 11 points ahead of reigning champions Manchester City.
The dominant display prompted former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher to proclaim on social media that Van Dijk is "the best centre back we've ever seen in the Premier League." Carragher added, "I always thought John Terry was the best until Van Dijk arrived. Great defenders of the past all had attackers who troubled them, but who has ever troubled Van Dijk?"
Carragher also highlighted Van Dijk’s recent defensive masterclass against elite forwards Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland, quipping that the Dutchman could have played "with a cigar in his mouth." He concluded, "Let’s end the debate. It’s not even close."
Van Dijk Record Setting Career
Since his record breaking £75m move from Southampton to Liverpool in 2018, Van Dijk has been pivotal in the Reds Premier League and Champions League triumphs. The Netherlands international, now 33, has won 148 of his 210 league appearances for Liverpool, achieving a remarkable 70.5% win ratio. Among centre backs, only Manchester City’s John Stones and former Manchester United star Nemanja Vidic boast a higher percentage.
In terms of defensive metrics, Van Dijk stands out. His 43% clean sheet rate is bettered only by legends Vidic, Tony Adams, and John Terry among defenders with 200 or more league starts. He also leads all Premier League centre backs since 2006-07 in duel and aerial duel success rates.
Notably, Van Dijk is rarely beaten in one on one situations. Since joining Liverpool, he has been dribbled past just 29 times in the Premier League an average of once every seven games.
The Debate Among Legends
Former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton acknowledged Van Dijk’s brilliance but also praised the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Terry, and Adams. "Ferdinand had a different style, Terry was phenomenal, and Adams was an incredible leader," Sutton remarked. "Van Dijk has everything. It’s hard to pick one, but right now, I’d lean towards him."
Ex Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given echoed this sentiment, adding names like Vidic, Jonathan Woodgate, Colin Hendry, and even Paul McGrath into the conversation. "It’s all about opinions," Given noted, emphasizing the diversity of skill sets among the greats.
Who Ranks as the Best?
The debate over the Premier League’s greatest centre-back remains open, but one thing is clear: Van Dijk’s dominance has firmly cemented his place among the all time elite. Now, we challenge you to rank these 10 iconic defenders. With so many legends to choose from, it’s a task that even the most passionate football fan may find difficult.
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