Liverpool are one of the most free-flowing teams in the league but their defence deserves just as much credit.

The Reds scored more goals than anyone else in the division this season on their way to the league title, but conceding the second-fewest also deserves some credit.

As for Manchester United, the same cannot be said after finishing the season on a -10 goal difference as they slumped to their worst-ever Premier League finish.

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Both teams have also been active in the transfer market already, one to remain at the pinnacle of English football, while the other looks for a significant rebuild to get themselves back competing.

Having a strong leader and tough centre-back in the heart of the defence, like Liverpool have with Virgil van Dijk, is a good place to start, however one Premier League striker believes that Man United already have a player just as good.

READ MORE: Jamie Carragher insists there is still one position Liverpool ‘need’ to upgrade after Florian Wirtz deal is finalised

Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images

When asked for their toughest opponent, strikers in the modern era almost always say Van Dijk due to his towering presence and his calmness on the ball.

However, Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz revealed to The Athletic that he found playing against Van Dijk just as hard as he did facing Maguire.

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“Maguire and Van Dijk would be my top two — Van Dijk gives you a bit more space,” Muniz revealed.

“The perfect centre-back would be a mix of Maguire and Van Dijk.

Both have so much quality, both in the physicality and the pace.”

The article went on to state: “Although they cost very similar amounts of money, both have had very different careers since joining their current clubs.’

Maguire was stripped of the captaincy and found game time hard to come by, although he has been more of a regular this season under Ruben Amorim.

As for Van Dijk, he has won it all and firmly cemented himself as one of the world’s best defenders, making it safe to say that Muniz’s suggestion is more than rogue.

The comparison between Maguire and Van Dijk has not been done for quite some time, ever since they both made their big money moves really.



Stats This SeasonVirgil Van DijkHarry MaguireAppearances 3727Clean Sheets142Tackles3830Clearances 19077Duels Won173107Aerial Battles Won 11964Stats from the Premier League, correct as of 04/05/25

As expected, Van Dijk beats Maguire on every metric and by quite a distance too, proving that it isn’t really up for debate in terms of who is better.

Liverpool have been linked with centre-back options this summer and for whoever does come through the door, they will certainly be learning from the best.
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