Burnley striker Ashley Barnes has revealed that he has voted for Virgil van Dijk to win the PFA Player of the Year award.
The Dutchman, according to reports, will scoop the annual prize, pipping Manchester City star and former Red Raheem Sterling in the process.
Van Dijk has been a part of the Premier League’s meanest defence this season and has contributed to the 20 clean sheets that Liverpool have amassed.
The Netherlands international has proven a difficult opponent for strikers throughout the campaign, and Clarets attacker Barnes has explained his reasoning for voting the defender as the division’s best player in the 2018/19 season.
As quoted by The Burnley Express, the striker said:
Van Dijk, obviously, he’s been the toughest by far. I couldn’t get near him. He was just way too strong and powerful. He completely deserves to be Player of the Year. He’s been amazing. It’s been way too easy for him. I don’t think he’s got out of second gear.
He is the toughest one I have come up against and one I haven’t got the edge over yet. You can get a feel when you are playing the rest, but not him. He is just way too strong. The guy is a machine.
Liverpool fans would have been hoping for a favour from Barnes and his Burnley teammates, who took on Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.
However, Pep Guardiola’s men came away from Turf Moor with a 1-0 win courtesy of a strike from Sergio Aguero to go back above Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table.
