Virgil van Dijk. The best centre-back in the world?It’s a question that is becoming more and more difficult to argue against given the 27-year-old’s form at the heart of Liverpool’s defence this season.He has recently named PFA Player of the Year, having helped the Reds keep 20 clean sheets in 36 Premier League matches.The £75 million fee that Liverpool paid for him in 2018 looks like a bargain and it will become even more so if Liverpool go on to win the league.There’s a chance that won’t happen, though. Manchester City are in the driving seat, a point ahead of Jurgen Klopp’s side with two games to go.

It would mean back-to-back titles for Pep Guardiola and a fourth in total for one of the club’s finest ever players, Vincent Kompany.

Kompany hasn’t been a mainstay in City’s defence for a few years now - owing to frequent injuries - but he has played in four of their past five matches in all competitions.

Kompany v Van Dijk in their primes

It’s unclear whether he will still be at the club next season - his contract expires in the summer, with little to suggest an extension is close - but he has already cemented himself as a club legend.

And one Man City supporter believes he has proof that in his prime, Kompany was better than the Van Dijk we’ve seen this season.

‘saucysterling7’ has compared Van Dijk’s stats from 2018-19 with Kompany’s from 2010-11 to highlight the Belgian’s impressive season.

And to no doubt rile some Liverpool fans.

The disparity in some of those statistics is incredible. Kompany made 100 tackles in 2010-11 compared to 34 this season from Van Dijk.

The Man City centre-back also had 336 clearances, while Van Dijk’s number is 183.

Van Dijk does come out on top in the stat that matters the most, though - goals conceded.

And such stats suggest that Kompany simply had more defending to do than Van Dijk has because City’s defence was weaker than Liverpool’s currently is.