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Chris Sutton has once again suggested that Liverpool centre half Virgil van Dijk is the best footballer on the planet.

The Dutch defender was once again outstanding as Liverpool opened up a four-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 win at Wolves on Friday night.

Van Dijk was not only a rock at the back for Jurgen Klopp's side but scored their second goal to ensure victory at Molineux.

Chris Sutton has again suggested that Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk is the best player in the world

Dutch defender Van Dijk was again excellent as Liverpool claimed a crucial 2-0 win at Wolves

And Sportsmail columnist and BT Sport pundit Sutton is a long-standing admirer of the £75million defender.

Asked by Robbie Savage who the best player in the Premier League is right now on BT Sport's Saturday Morning Savage programme, Sutton replied: 'Virgil van Dijk, he's the best player in the world.'

It was in reply to Jermaine Jenas, who'd suggested that Manchester City's Raheem Sterling was the best performer in the league.

Jenas then came up with Barcelona star Lionel Messi in response to Sutton's claim, but Wolves defender Ryan Bennett, also a guest on the show, agreed that Van Dijk was the Premier League's best at the moment.

Van Dijk stole in behind the Wolves defence to score Liverpool's second goal at Molineux

Van Dijk involved in a foot race with Wolves forward Adama Traore on Friday evening

Traore comes off worse during an aerial duel with Van Dijk during Liverpool's important win

Back in September, Sutton also advocated the former Groningen, Celtic and Southampton defender as the best in the world on the same programme.

He said then: 'Virgil van Dijk is the best player in the world. Educated in Scotland... he's tearing it up isn't he? It's what Liverpool needed - a bit of stability.'

Van Dijk won two Scottish Premiership titles at Celtic before making the move to Southampton. Liverpool then paid a world record fee for a defender to bring him to Anfield back in January.

He has indeed brought stability to a Liverpool defence that often looked vulnerable last season and is proving instrumental in their title challenge.