IS VVD THE GOAT

LONDON. — Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk put in another excellent performance to frustrate Manchester City striker Erling Haaland on Sunday.

The 2-0 win moved Liverpool nine points clear at the top — and 11 points above four-time-in-a-row champions City.

It led ex-Reds defender Jamie Carragher to declare on social media that Van Dijk is “the best centre-back we’ve ever seen in the Premier League”.

“I always said it was John Terry before Van Dijk came along,” he continued.

“All great defenders of the past had attackers who caused them problems, but whoever causes Van Dijk any?

“He’s just played against [Real Madrid’s Kylian] Mbappe and Haaland in the last four days and played them with such ease he could’ve played with a cigar.

“Please stop this silly debate about the best centre-back, it’s not even close.”

Netherlands defender Van Dijk, 33, has more than justified the world-record £75m Liverpool paid Southampton to sign him in 2018 — helping the Reds to win the Premier League and Champions League title.

The former Celtic player has won 148 of his 210 Premier League games for Liverpool, with his 70.5% win ratio — of centre-backs — only behind Manchester City defender John Stones and ex-Manchester United player Nemanja Vidic.

Only Vidic, Arsenal legend Tony Adams and Chelsea icon Terry have a higher clean sheet percentage than Van Dijk’s 43% at Liverpool (of players with 200 or more starts).

Van Dijk has won a higher percentage of duels and aerial duels than any other Premier League centre-back since 2006-07 (excluding those who have not been involved in many).

Of centre-backs to have played 3,500 minutes or more since January 2018, Van Dijk has been dribbled past less often per 90 minutes than anyone else. On average a player gets past him once every seven games (it has only happened 29 times).

Former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, said: “[Ex-Leeds and Manchester United player] Rio Ferdinand was a slightly different player to Terry.

“Terry was a phenomenal defender. Tony Adams was a brilliant leader.

“I get the Van Dijk shout as well. He has absolutely everything. People would look at Ferdinand’s trophy haul and say ‘well it has to be him’.

“Currently yeah, I think he is – that’s me sort of copping out a bit but John Terry was phenomenal as well though so can we have a joint three — Terry, Ferdinand and Van Dijk?”

Ex-Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given added it is “all about different opinions”.

“Ferdinand, Terry, Vidic, Jonathan Woodgate in his prime before he went to Real Madrid, Colin Hendry at Blackburn, John Stones get a mention in his prime?” And he added “what a player” Paul McGrath was. — BBC.