Liverpool kept their 10th clean sheet in 11 league games against Norwich on Saturday. The Reds' faultless march towards the Premier League title is being made all the more impressive by their impenetrability at the back. Granted, the Canaries mustered just one attempt on target, but the league-leaders have been nigh-on impossible to score past all season. Virgil van Dijk is the obvious reason for their stark defensive improvement since January 2018. The days of induced heart palpitations watching Dejan Lovren and co. are a distant memory, though the Dutchman shouldn't be the only one to receive plaudits. 

Injuries have made Joe Gomez less of a regular fixture in Jurgen Klopp's XI. 

When he has played, the England international has been thoroughly solid and on the occasions he's lined up alongside Van Dijk, there's been no stopping them. 

In the last 1,246 minutes of playing time, the two centre-back partners have only conceded one goal. 

Wolves' Raul Jimenez - take a bow. 

Most Premier League strikers would rather take a punt on passing Gandalf than they would making their way through the duo. 

Liverpool have won 17 of their most recent 19 games when the two have featured, too. 

As easy as it is to praise the champions-elect's forwards, their job is made all the easier by the best defence in Europe. 

ANALYSIS

GIVEMESPORT'S Kat Lucas:  

This is really a moment to recognise Gomez's sterling work this season. Van Dijk's prestige will not be news to anyone. 

While we so often rave about the full-backs, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson, they would never be allowed such freedom to roam forward without a defence that has only conceded 15 times all season. 

Alex Ferguson used to build his great sides from the back and that is exactly what Klopp has done here.

The key will be keeping Gomez fit so he and Van Dijk can build a regular partnership for many years to come.