The key to a successful side is not their attack, but their defence. Scoring plenty of goals means nothing if you don't have reliable defenders.
This Premier League season, several defenders have stepped their game up and proved that they deserve to be regarded as one of the division's elite in the position, even if their club are not necessarily challenging for the league title.
Here are six defender candidates for the PFA Team of the Year.
Starting off with an obvious one, Virgil van Dijk has been a monster in the heart of Liverpool's defence.