5 Early contenders for the Premier League Player Of The Year

#1 Virgil Van Dijk

Virgil Van Dijk has been the main man for Liverpool this season.

If there is any difference between the Liverpool of last season and the Liverpool of this season, it is their Dutch centre-back Virgil Van Dijk. Quintessential for Klopp's team, Van Dijk has proved to be colossal at the heart of the Liverpool defence. Though all the plaudits often go to their deadly front-three, Van Dijk has been the unsung hero in Liverpool's title-charge.

As goal-hungry as they are with the likes of Mané, Firmino and Salah, Liverpool's leaky defence last season prevented them to push for the title. This season, however, the arrival of Brazilian GK Allison has helped the likes of Van Dijk become stalwart at the back. The Reds have conceded the fewest goals (15), five goals lesser than the next-best Manchester City (20).

Van Dijk is the perfect prototype of a modern-day defender: strong, athletic, intelligent and an immaculate passer of the ball. He is also a Liverpool captain, a motivator and an exceptional leader. Much of how Liverpool’s season has panned out so far has to be credited to Van Dijk’s resilience at the back.

With each passing year, defenders are getting less recognition for individual awards and prizes. It will be a remarkable story if Virgil Van Dijk is crowned the Player of the Year come May.