On the eve of Liverpool’s trip to Burnely for the fourth match of the Premier League season on Saturday, manager Jurgen Klopp praised Virgil van Dijk, saying that the Dutchman is “the best defender of the world at the moment.”

Van Dijk received the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award this week with his team-mate Alisson Becker awarded best goalkeeper.

“I think Virg (Virgil van Dijk) is at the moment for sure the world’s best defender, I don’t want to put a big backpack on his shoulders but I spoke about that he has space for improvements still, which is the best news actually. But anyway he is really, really a world class centre-half,” Klopp said.

“I am really happy, big day for the two boys, for Alisson as well, because they said it and they know it and we know it, without the other boys they couldn’t have done it. So, really nice” he added.