VIRGIL VAN DIJK has defeated Raheem Sterling to claim the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Player of the Year award.
Van Dijk beat out a host of Manchester City players aside from Sterling, including Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva, along with Reds team-mate Sadio Mane and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard to the award, which is voted on by the members of the PFA.
The Netherlands international has proven to be worth every penny of the world-record fee for a defender Liverpool paid for him ahead of the January 2018 transfer window to snap him up from Southampton, as he has marshalled a back line that has conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League this season.
In addition to his defensive contributions, Van Dijk has chipped in with three goals and two assists this season for the Reds in the Premier League, while adding another two goals and two assists in the Champions League.
Van Djik is only the fourth defender to win the award, following John Terry, Jaap Stam and Paul McGrath. That he wins the award a year after it was awarded to his teammate Mohamed Salah means the gong has been won by different Liverpool players in succession for the first time in 35 years.
Sterling, meanwhile, picked up the Young Player of the Year award.
The 24-year-old has scored 17 goals and added 10 assists for City this season as he has been key in the club’s attempt to repeat as Premier League champions.
Who said "too old for this sh*t" 😂😂 ?! #PFAawards pic.twitter.com/APryTSv2ks
— Raheem Sterling (@sterling7) April 28, 2019
Sterling won ahead of team-mate Bernardo Silva, Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold, Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, West Ham’s Declan Rice and Bournemouth’s David Brooks.
He is also the second Man City player to win the award in the last two seasons, after Leroy Sane won the award last season.
Both van Dijk and Sterling made the PFA team of the Year award. Paul Pogba is the only player included who doesn’t play with either City of Liverpool.
The team in full: Ederson (Man City); Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Aymeric Laporte (Man City), Virgil van Djik (Liverpool), Andy Robertson (Liverpool); Fernandinho, Bernardo Silva (Man City), Paul Pogba (Man United); Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero (Man City), Sadio Mane (Liverpool).
