Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk put in one other glorious efficiency to frustrate Manchester Metropolis striker Erling Haaland on Sunday.
The moved Liverpool 9 factors clear on the prime – and 11 factors above four-time-in-a-row champions Metropolis.
It led ex-Reds defender Jamie Carragher to that Van Dijk is “the perfect centre-back we have ever seen within the Premier League”.
“I at all times stated it was John Terry earlier than Van Dijk got here alongside,” he continued.
“All nice defenders of the previous had attackers who induced them issues, however who ever causes Van Dijk any?
“He is simply performed in opposition to [Real Madrid’s Kylian] Mbappe and Haaland within the final 4 days and performed them with such ease he may’ve performed with a cigar.
“Please cease this foolish debate about the perfect centre-back, it is not even shut.”
Netherlands defender Van Dijk, 33, has greater than justified the world-record £75m Liverpool paid Southampton to signal him in 2018 – serving to the Reds to win the Premier League and Champions League title.
The previous Celtic participant has gained 148 of his 210 Premier League video games for Liverpool, together with his 70.5% win ratio – of centre-backs – solely behind Manchester Metropolis defender John Stones and ex-Manchester United participant Nemanja Vidic.
Solely Vidic, Arsenal legend Tony Adams and Chelsea icon Terry have the next clear sheet proportion than Van Dijk’s 43% at Liverpool (of gamers with 200 or extra begins).
Van Dijk has gained the next proportion of duels and aerial duels than every other Premier League centre-back since 2006-07 (excluding those that haven’t been concerned in lots of).
Of centre-backs to have performed 3,500 minutes or extra since January 2018, Van Dijk has been dribbled previous much less typically per 90 minutes than anybody else. On common a participant will get previous him as soon as each seven video games (it has solely occurred 29 occasions).
Former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton, talking on BBC Radio 5 Stay’s Monday Night time Membership, stated: “[Ex-Leeds and Manchester United player] Rio Ferdinand was a barely totally different participant to Terry.
“Terry was an outstanding defender. Tony Adams was an excellent chief.
“I get the Van Dijk shout as effectively. He has completely every little thing. Folks would take a look at Ferdinand’s trophy haul and say ‘effectively it needs to be him’.
“At present yeah, I feel he’s – that is me kind of copping out a bit however John Terry was phenomenal as effectively although so can we’ve got a joint three – Terry, Ferdinand and Van Dijk?”
Ex-Republic of Eire goalkeeper Shay Given added it’s “all about totally different opinions”.
“Ferdinand, Terry, Vidic, Jonathan Woodgate in his prime earlier than he went to Actual Madrid, Colin Hendry at Blackburn, John Stones get a point out in his prime?”
And he added “what a participant” Paul McGrath was.
We wish you to rank these 10 iconic Premier League centre-backs. There have been so many high quality ones to select from that some legends needed to miss the reduce.