Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has been crowned PFA Player of the Year for 2018-19, with Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling winning the Young Player of the Year award.
The 27-year-old defender has played in all of Liverpool’s 35 league games this season, helping the Reds to a league-best 19 clean sheets.
The Dutchman signed for Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 for £75m, a transfer fee his performances have vindicated, with Liverpool losing just one Premier League game so far this season, against Manchester City in January.
“It’s pretty difficult to put into words,” Van Dijk said.
“I think it’s the highest honour you can get as a player to get voted player of the year by the players you play against every week. It’s special. I’m very proud and honoured to receive it.”
Liverpool and City players dominated the shortlist for the award, with Van Dijk’s team-mate Sadio Mane, City trio Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva, and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard all in contention.
Van Dijk, who becomes the sixth defender to win the award, added: “If you see the shortlist and quality there is, it’s very special that the players in the league voted for me.
Sterling was considered Van Dijk’s main competition for the prize, with the England forward scoring 17 goals and making 10 assists in his 31 league appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The 24-year-old was up for the same award last season, but pipped to it by team-mate Leroy Sane.
Sterling’s performances on the pitch have been impressive, but his vocal stance on racism in football has also won praise.
Sterling has called out racial abuse directed at him and other players, backing harsher punishments for those found guilty of discriminatory behaviour, and has put his name to a manifesto demanding a change in how football’s authorities deal with racism in the game.
