Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has been crowned PFA Player of the Year for 2018-19, with Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling winning the Young Player of the Year award.

The 27-year-old defender has played in all of Liverpool’s 36 league games this season, helping the Reds to a league-best 20 clean sheets.

The Dutchman signed for Liverpool from Southampton in January 2018 for £75m, a transfer fee his performances have vindicated, with Liverpool losing just one Premier League game so far this season, against Manchester City in January.

Liverpool and City players dominated the shortlist for the award, with Van Dijk’s team-mate Sadio Mane, City trio Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva, and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard all in contention.

Sterling was considered Van Dijk’s main competition for the prize, with the England forward scoring 17 goals and making 10 assists in his 32 league appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side.

The 24-year-old was up for the same award last season, but pipped to it by team-mate Leroy Sane