Liverpool Player of the Year: 5 candidates ranked

#1 Virgil Van Dijk

Liverpool FC v Watford FC - Premier League

No player has been as crucial to Liverpool's success this season as Virgil Van Dijk. He has been their hub at the heart of the defence all season long and shows no signs of slowing down.

Van Dijk has played in every single game for the Reds this season, and he started them all, too. The Dutchman has kept a staggering 16 clean sheets so far and has cemented himself as one of the best, if not the best defenders in the league.

Liverpool got a lot of flack when they splashed out £75m for him in January 2018, but it seems to be money well-spent. Moreover, the 27-year-old now has a market value that exceeds £100m, so they were wise to get him when they did, as that price tag is only going to rise if he keeps up his current form.

As well as holding down the fort from the back, Van Dijk is also heavily utilised in corners and set-piece scenarios where his height and heading ability is a major advantage. He's scored three goals so far and notched up a single assist, too.

Given just how incredible Van Dijk has been for Liverpool, there's no way he couldn't have come first in this list, and it'll be a shock if he isn't selected as the Player of the Year.