Phil Thompson and his colleagues all spoke on Virgil van Dijk and his chances of winning the POTY (Player of the Year) award.
It’s getting to be that time of year again when the debate over the season’s standout player burns hot.
Mohamed Salah won the POTY award in 2018, of course, after breaking the 38-game record for goalscoring. He contested a fierce battle with Kevin De Bruyne last season but his record-breaking season won out over the champions’ star man.
Salah will be in the debate this year, too, as the league’s current top scorer. He isn’t the favourite at Liverpool, however.
That would be Van Dijk and Liverpool legend Thompson has spoken on the Dutchman’s POTY chances.
Thompson on Van Dijk for POTY
“I think Virgil van Dijk has to be made Player of the Year,” he told Sky Sports. “With Liverpool top of the league, it is real value for how he has played. He has been absolutely fantastic.
“If they can win the league, it will be one of the buys of the century, but he has been the most consistent.
“People like Eden Hazard have been absolutely astounding at times, but not as consistent as Van Dijk.”
Paul Merson, Matt Le Tissier, and Charlie Nicholas also gave their opinions. Like Thompson, they all backed Van Dijk as a big POTY contender.
In fact, Van Dijk is the only player to be named by all four, with no one else managing three.
Can Van Dijk win it? For sure – he’s the standout player at a title contender. Not only is he the standout, in fact, but he has transformed Liverpool’s defence.
This is a Liverpool site, and therefore just a little bit bias, but it is difficult to see a more deserving player. Van Dijk has been nigh on faultless this year and is the biggest reason that Liverpool have the league’s strongest defence.
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