The SHOCKING similarities between Van Dijk and Maguire's in the stats
The United defender is thought of to be a liability while the Liverpool man is one of the best in the world in the eyes of most, but they actually have similar numbers
Virgil van Dijk and Harry Maguire are at opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to public opinion. The Liverpool centreback is seen as the best in the Premier League while the Manchester United skipper is often the target of mockery for his constant blunders; but is the gap in performance between them that big? According to the numbers, not so much.
Harry Maguire and Virgil van Dijk battle each other out in the Liverpool-United derby
Maguire has received criticism for his recent performances and the captain of Manchester United was even benched by manager Erik ten Hag. On the other hand, Virgil van Dijk is regarded as one of the top defenders in the world. But when comparing the metrics, the two centre backs are actually very close.
A study done by betting platform Midnite shows that throught their entire Premier League careers, the difference between Maguire and Van Dijk is pretty negligble.
Van Dijk has made 48 less tackles than Maguire's 254 total. Their tackling success rates are also pretty matched, with Van Dijk only slightly overcoming Maguire with 69% to 67%. Surprisingly, there is nothing that separates them when it comes to mistakes that result in goals. In their Premier League careers, Maguire and Van Dijk have both made just three mistakes that directly resulted in goals.
Interceptions? Also close, 1,58 per game for Maguire against 1,59 for Van Dijk. It's the same story when it comes to aerial dominance: compared to the Liverpool man's 74% success, the England international has won 72% of his aerial contests.
Maguire and Van Dijk, at opposite ends of the public opinion but perhaps not so far off on the pitch
While, clearly, stats don't tell the whole story, this outlook may show that public perception of Harry Maguire and his mistakes on the field have made him look worse in the eyes of public opinion than he's actually been on the pitch.
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