Virgil van Dijk is sometimes called the very best centre-back within the Premier League, however is that the case?
talkSPORT co-host and former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy would not suppose so, following his efficiency towards the Blues.
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Van Dijk grew to become a meme as quickly as photos emerged of him going through away from Moises Caicedo’s shot that rifled into the highest nook.
And on-line, he is now turn out to be the brunt of a joke that he was ‘twerking’ for the midfield star as Liverpool conceded.
Talking on The Sports activities Bar after that sport and his unlucky pose, an especially daring declare that Cundy made final season resurfaced.
Cundy beforehand stated: “Van Dijk is not world-class, not for me. He is overhyped. [Micky] Van de Ven is a greater centre-half than Van Dijk.”
And after that assertion was introduced up once more by co-host Jamie O’Hara, it raised the essential query…
Who’s the very best centre-back within the Premier League?
‘He is overhyped’
Cundy maintained his stance that the reply to that query shouldn’t be Van Dijk, saying: “I am sticking with it.
“Everybody’s telling me he is the very best defender ever, that is the bit the place he is overhyped.
“He is not the very best defender ever. He has been world-class, however he isn’t… he had a few good seasons, I can not deny that.”
When requested whether or not he is up there with the bracket together with John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, Cundy added: “No, he is under that.”
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Van Dijk vs Van de Ven
Only for argument’s sake, let’s check out how Van Dijk and Van de Ven in contrast final season stats-wise after Cundy’s declare.
To begin, the Liverpool centre-back got here away with the Premier League title, turning into a prime flight-winning captain.
He began 37 of the Reds’ 38 video games and stored 14 clear sheets.
The 34-year-old averaged a sort out per sport and made 54 interceptions in addition to 221 clearances, 113 ball recoveries and 116 aerial duels all through the marketing campaign.
In the meantime, Van de Ven solely appeared 13 instances final time period attributable to harm, so comparisons are barely unfair.
In these appearances, he made 11 tackles, 9 interceptions and 47 clearances, additionally recovering the ball 61 instances.
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Van Dijk did, nonetheless, make extra errors resulting in objectives and photographs in comparison with Van de Ven, albeit with a bigger pattern measurement.
He made errors main to 3 photographs and one purpose throughout the 24/25 season, Van de Ven made one.
When it got here to wash sheets although, the Reds skipper had 11 extra in comparison with Ange Postecoglou’s defence…or lack of.
Who’s truly the very best CB within the league?
Van de Ven, who is understood for his unbelievable velocity on the again, is a powerful defender, particularly in Cundy’s view.
Nonetheless, there are a number of massive names that may be thought-about forward of him within the listing of greatest defenders within the Premier League.
Van Dijk is commonly named as one in every of them, however Arsenal followers will you should definitely make their stars are a part of the talk…
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The Gunners have constructed their staff round William Saliba and Gabriel, with the pair certainly in for a shout at being the very best round.
Mikel Arteta’s facet have the very best defensive document within the Premier League throughout the final two seasons and the beginning of this time period.
And Saliba’s presence within the defence has confirmed to be pivotal to success, with their factors per sport dropping from 2.24 to 1.71 when he isn’t been concerned within the motion.
The Frenchman recovered the ball greater than some other defender final marketing campaign (154 instances), with solely Van Dijk finishing extra passes.
It was the Liverpool defender who topped the leaderboards for aerial duels and interceptions although, with that showing to be his main energy in comparison with his competitors.
In the meantime, Gabriel gained possession the least out of Saliba, Van Dijk, Man Metropolis’s Ruben Dias, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, Tottenham’s Cristian Romero and Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa.
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| Gamers | Blocks | Interceptions | Possession gained | Dribbled previous |
| Van Dijk | 16 | 56 | 115 | 9 |
| Gabriel | 29 | 16 | 63 | 4 |
| Saliba | 15 | 21 | 154 | 7 |
| Guehi | 23 | 28 | 146 | 16 |
| Dias | 20 | 20 | 78 | 6 |
| Romero | 3 | 27 | 90 | 9 |
| Konsa | 11 | 24 | 97 | 5 |
The Brazilian additionally made the fewest interceptions out of the identical group final season, however he did take advantage of blocks of all and was dribbled previous by an opponent the least.
Liverpool’s curiosity in Guehi proved that he was a sought-after centre-back within the division and his stats show why.
He gained possession 146 instances in 2024/25 for Palace, whereas additionally intercepting the ball greater than Saliba, Dias and Romero.
His 23 blocks have been one of many highest within the Premier League too, placing him within the dialog for the very best within the prime flight.
After all, stats for defenders usually relate to the fashion of soccer their staff play or how good their staff is.
So, sure gamers excel in areas {that a} ‘higher centre-back’ could not and that makes discovering out a definitive greatest robust.
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But when issues have been all the way down to the Staff of the Season for final time period, it could be a battle between Van Dijk and Saliba.
And it is exhausting to argue towards that…