The Premiership is generally acknowledged by those in the know to be not only the most competitive soccer league in the world but the best. So, winning the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) Player of the Year (POTY) award is something quite special.
That honor fell to Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk this year, in what was a hotly contested run-up with Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling. But in the final reckoning, the Dutchman romped home, amassing more votes from his professional colleagues than any other player, including not only Englishman Sterling but Chelsea’s Belgium ball wizard, Eden Hazard.
It is perhaps a shame for young Sterling as he is undoubtedly one of the most improved, if not the most improved player in the Premiership this season. At least the other defeated candidate, Hazard, who has not only won the award before but is the only player to have done so two years in succession. This season he may have lost out on the POTY award, but he did win the Premier League Playmaker of the Year award.
The statistic Dijk will want to evade
As has been the case more often than not in the past, the PFA POTY came from one of the teams that finished in the top four in the closing Premiership table. But one other stat is not one that his teammates will want Van Dijk to figure in. It is the one that records the fact that five of the last eight winners finished the season trophy-less.
As we now know, although Liverpool was pipped to the post by Manchester City for the Premiership title, they are in the final of the Champions League where they will play Tottenham Hotspur in Madrid on the 1st of June. It promises to be quite a match.
The danger that Harry Kane represents
Spurs are well known for playing attacking football and they are hoping to have their star striker and England captain Harry Kane fully fit. Kane damaged his ankle ligaments in the quarter-final of the Champions League when Tottenham knocked Manchester City out of the tournament. He has not played since. He is, however, hoping to play in the final against Liverpool.
Although Kane missed several matches towards the end of the season, he still finished sixth in the highest goal scorer stakes with 17. He will be eager to find the back of the net again on his return and will be the main threat to Liverpool’s aspirations of winning the tournament.
Dijk needs to contain Kane
Of course, the Reds have their own master goal scorer in Mo Salah, who with 22 goals this season shared the Golden Boot alongside Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and fellow teammate, Sadio Mane.
It always seems to be the strikers who claim the glory, but defenders like Virgil van Dijk are just as important. Stopping the other side scoring is as vital as scoring goals yourself. So, if van Dijk can keep a close eye on Kane (if indeed he does play), and prevents him from scoring, he really will justify his PFA award as far as his teammates are concerned.
