Gareth Southgate on whether Virgil van Dijk is the best Premier League defender ever
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The debate over whether Virgil van Dijk is a better defender than John Terry has been going on for some time, and Gareth Southgate has now weighed in by including both players in his top-10 list.John Terry responded to comments made by former Liverpool player Jermaine Pennant, stating that he believes he was the better defender compared to Van Dijk.The Dutchman remains a standout performer at the top level and has even added goals to his game this season, although he still trails behind Terry’s overall tally.Gareth Southgate puts Virgil van Dijk ahead of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand in his rankingsPhoto by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesGoals aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when judging centre-backs, though, and with Van Dijk nearing the end of his playing days, there’s plenty of time left for people to argue over where he fits among the top defenders in Premier League history.The latest to weigh in on the situation is former England and Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate.Speaking to the Football Board Room Podcast, Southgate ranked Van Dijk as the number one Premier League centre-back out of 10 names given to him and said: “I just think he’s been such an influence on Liverpool winning the league. Huge signing for them.”Terry was placed third by Southgate, who listed his order from a group of 10 like this:Clean sheet records for centre-backs in the Premier LeagueRight now, Van Dijk is definitely in the mix when it comes to the best centre-backs, but he didn’t really become a household name until his move to Liverpool.
That shorter time at the top might make it harder for neutral fans to see him as the greatest ever.Terry not only has more trophies and goals but also holds the record for the most clean sheets by a centre-back in Premier League history.He kept 218 clean sheets in 492 appearances, with Jamie Carragher (202 in 508) and Rio Ferdinand (200 in 504) following closely behind.Van Dijk currently ranks ninth on that list, which counts clean sheets if a player has played at least 60 minutes of a match. The Dutchman has 124 clean sheets from 327 matches so far.Join Our NewsletterReceive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox