PFA Team of the Season so far | Premier League 2019-20

Defenders

Last season's PFA Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk has a league-highest 12 clean-sheets to his name

Last season’s UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, Ballon d’Or runner-up, PFA Players’ Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season Virgil van Dijk is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best centre-back in world football right now.

While much of the plaudits in this unstoppable Liverpool team go to their illustrious front-three of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, even Jurgen Klopp will agree to the fact that it is actually their stalwart defence that has been the reason for their invincibility so far. Van Dijk might not be the official club captain but the defender leads by example. He has four goals and a division-high twelve clean-sheets to his name, along with a league-highest 2,234 passes.

In fact, van Dijk has not only managed to improve his own game but also of those in and around him. The former Southampton man is a perfect modern-day centre-half: pacy, athletic, powerful and visionary. Van Dijk is almost unsurpassable at the back, often found intercepting balls at ease, dispossessing the opposition with inch-perfect tackles and winning each duel thrown at him.

He is equally potent in attack, being a constant threat on corners with his incredible heading ability, driving the ball from the back and playing dead-accurate long balls to the attackers.

Caglar Soyuncu has been one of the finds of this Premier League season

On top of his game right now, Virgil van Dijk is one of the least surprising names on this list. Teammate Joe Gomez could partner the Dutchman in defence after his excellent defensive showings following the injury to Joel Matip, however, it is Leicester City’s Caglar Soyuncu that should deserve a place in the PFA Team of the Year.

Just three years ago, the defender was playing for Altinordu in Turkey's second tier but has now gone onto become one of the most sought-after centre-backs in Europe. Soyuncu is a brave, powerful and no-nonsense defender, yet extremely calm and composed on the ball. His partnership with Jonny Evans at the heart of the Foxes defence this season has impressed many.

For the full-back positions, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson are unrivalled, as they were for last season’s Team of the Year. They are two of the most attack-minded defenders in the league, racking up a combined 19 assists in the Premier League this season.

Jurgen Klopp’s heavy-metal football relies primarily on the full-backs and their ability to neutralise attacks, press the opponents, maraud forward and create chances of their own. It will not be an understatement to say that both Alexander-Arnold and Robertson are the most hard-working players in this Liverpool side and deserving candidates for the PFA Team of the Year.