John Terry tells ex-Liverpool man to ‘get your stats right’ with Van Dijk claims shut down

John Terry has hit back at claims made by Jermaine Pennant that Virgil van Dijk is a better defender than he was, telling him to “get your stats right.”

Terry was one of the Premier League’s very best defenders. The Chelsea legend played 492 games in the English top flight, contributing to 59 goals directly, as well as winning the title on five occasions.

He was part of the defence that conceded just 15 goals in the 2004/05 season.

Since Terry, there have been some top defenders, with Liverpool captain Van Dijk regularly seen as one of the best in the league’s history, and ex-Liverpool man Pennant thinks the Dutchman, now 34, is better than Terry was, particularly at that age.

He said on talkSPORT: “He’s scored more goals than all the defenders you’ve named so how can you disrespect Virgil like that. If you said which one am I having… I’m picking Van Dijk.

“Do you know how many Premier League games John Terry played at 34, he was in the under-21s.

“Terry is a legend but if you’re saying as a defender 1-v-1, who would I want to run up against? I’d say John Terry every day of the week. I mean, since when did he come second in the Ballon d’Or.”

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Terry hits back with stats

Terry has responded on his TikTok, with stats which invalidate Pennant’s claims

He said: “Now this is a debate that everyone’s entitled to their own opinion but ‘Pens’ when you’re on the radio and you’re giving your opinion, you have to get the stats right.

“There’s only one person who has got the most goals as a defender in Premier League history and that’s me.

“I also have the most clean sheets in history and if you’re comparing myself and Virgil, then I have more trophies than him as well.

“Also, you brought up a really good point. At the age of 34, in the season of 2014/15, I played every single minute of every game for Chelsea, winning the league in that season with Mourinho as our manager.

“So guys, this is over to you, I love the debate, I love being amongst it, I’m really proud of what I’ve done in the Premier League, but it’s clearly over to you guys to settle the debate… I’m just happy to be amongst it.”

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