Virgil van Dijk has his sights set on team glory with Liverpool rather than personal accolades as he revealed that he's voted for Raheem Sterling to be crowned PFA Player of the Year.
The £75million centre-back is a strong favourite to clinch the prestigious award having been a commanding presence for the Reds all season.
Rules state that you can't vote for one of your own team-mates and Van Dijk has thrown his support behind former Reds winger Sterling , who has scored 19 goals for Premier League title rivals Manchester City this season.
“I voted for Raheem Sterling,” Van Dijk revealed.
“I did what I thought and I thought he deserves it. He’s had a fantastic season.
“I think I could have voted for Bernardo Silva as well and another couple of players from Manchester City . But I am just being honest. I think he has improved a lot as a player. We will see if he wins it.”
The only silverware on Van Dijk's mind is the Premier League and the Champions League trophies.
Liverpool find themselves bang in contention for both as they prepare for Tuesday's quarter-final first leg against Porto at Anfield.
“Of course you’re going to be proud if you win an individual trophy, but all the hard work you put in at the training ground, you put in together to win something as a team, it's a collective thing as a club,” he said.
“Hopefully that is something that will happen. With the amount of points that we have got, with only losing one game in the Premier League so far, it's something very special.
“Until everything is decided, we just have to keep going. We know we hopefully have a maximum of 10 games left if we play the Champions League final - so what is 10 games?
“Obviously everyone is at the point where you might get more fatigued quicker than before, but if you keep in mind that hopefully there are only 10 games then you can get that extra energy and keep going.
“You want to give everything that you have got. That is what you have to keep in your head.”
There is no let-up for Jurgen Klopp 's side as the focus shifts from the title race with Manchester City to their European mission.
The stakes keep on getting higher but the laid-back Dutchman insists the Reds, who are unbeaten in 14 games in all competitions, are embracing the pressure.
“I think the most important thing is just do what we have been doing all season and enjoy every bit of it as well,” he added.
“It can become a fear when you read all the media and social media! In this situation you need to be very strong mentally, you need to remember that what's important is what we have at Melwood, what we have within each other, the manager, the staff and what we work on each day.
“I think all of the teams in the league would love to be in our position right now and that is how we have to look at it.
“We are in a great situation. It could have been better but it is how it is. We still have a chance to win the title and a chance to win the Champions League.
“When the whistle goes and the games start we need to show what we have being doing throughout the season - show your quality, be confident and embrace it.”
It was against Porto at the last 16 stage last season that Van Dijk made his European debut for the Reds. He starred in the 5-0 rout and hasn't looked back since.
Van Dijk was convinced that the future was bright for Liverpool when he met Klopp prior to moving to Anfield in January 2018 and his decision has certainly been vindicated.
How Liverpool players really feel about title challenge as Reds turns attentions to Europe
"I always had that feeling. I could definitely feel it, with the players we have here, the manager and the fans around the club… I definitely felt that we could challenge for trophies," he said.
"If I feel a certain way on something, that will be the decision I make. I follow the feeling, together with my family, and the feeling straight away was that this was the right club for me.
"I came last winter and to already be in the final of the Champions League last year was a bit of a surprise for myself. But it was something that I really wanted to happen.
"To be where we are now, this is what I wanted. We have another team in the league that is playing pretty well and it’s a bit crazy with the amount of points we both have that one of us is still not even champions.
"At the end of the day, we can keep our heads up high, but until the season is over, we just have to give everything that we have got – every inch, every one of us and all the fans need to keep believing and standing behind us."
