Statistics highlight Virgil van Dijk is still performing as well as Player of the Year award-winning 2018/19 season

Virgil van Dijk is still performing at his best and nearly matching the defensive output he achieved in the 2018/19 Premier League season which saw him named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, according to statistics.

While Liverpool have underperformed this campaign, currently sitting eighth in the Premier League table and on course to concede the most goals in a single season since Van Dijk joined in January 2018, the Dutchman's individual statistics are still as strong as ever.

Despite coming in for heavy criticism after supposedly failing to hit the lofty heights he has previously managed, Van Dijk's stats suggest otherwise.

In research conducted by BettingSites.co.uk, Van Dijk has blocked 11 shots so far this season, the third-best rate (0.48 blocks-per-game) since he joined Liverpool more than five years ago.

The centre back is also very close to matching his best rate of interceptions-per-game to his best season. In 2018/19, when named the Premier League's best player by fellow footballers, Van Dijk intercepted 1.05 passes per game - this season he has managed one per game so far.

The 31-year-old is averaging his second-best tackle rate (0.91) since he’s had a full season playing for Jurgen Klopp's side, highlighting his importance to this Liverpool side still.

These stats come as former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher claimed Van Dijk's performances haven't nosedived off of a cliff this season, as some people have suggested. He also argued the heights Van Dijk previously hit is unfortunately coming back to haunt him.

Carragher wrote: "Virgil van Dijk is far better than [Nemanja] Vidic, who was a top centre-back, but have you forgot his performances against Torres?

"Rio [Ferdinand] and John Terry had poor seasons in their career like all players, Van Dijk is having one now. No centre-back in the Premier League era has ever had Van Dijk's impact on a team.

"Never mind the best centre-back in the league, he’s been the best player in the league along with Kevin De Bruyne for four years before this one. We have never spoken about about other centre-backs being the best player before, that shows the level he was at."

BettingSites concur, with a spokesperson stating: “Virgil van Dijk is not past his best yet, despite everyone’s criticism of the Dutch skipper this season.

“Van Dijk is close to matching his best Premier League season at Liverpool, but his teammates are letting him down, hence why the team is on track to concede the most they ever have since the defender joined.”