Asked to pick his player of the season, Giroud replied: "I would say Eden Hazard, but I think I cannot say who I voted for."

Players are not allowed to vote for team-mates in the PFA awards, leaving Giroud coy on his voting choice for the Players' Player gong.

Holland's Van Dijk has transformed Liverpool since his £75million switch from Southampton in January 2018 that proved a world-record fee for a defender.

Chelsea are intent on wrecking Liverpool's Premier League title chances for the second time in five years this weekend, and boost their own top-four bid in the process.

The Blues' 2-0 win at Anfield in April 2014 derailed Liverpool's title bid that year, Steven Gerrard's slip gifting a goal to Demba Ba.

Giroud believes Chelsea boast the potency to repeat that feat on Sunday, with the 32-year-old drawing on prior successes against Van Dijk.

The France hitman scored the only goal as Chelsea beat Van Dijk's Liverpool 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in May last year.

Giroud also netted the winner when France saw off Holland 2-1 in Paris in September, leaving the Chelsea target man to head to Anfield full of confidence this weekend.

"I've played against him personally a few times and it has always been a tough position because he is very good and very strong, but I've scored a few goals playing against his teams," said Giroud.

"I lost against him when we played the Netherlands recently, but I won last year and scored at Stamford Bridge, and scored the winner at the Stade de France against the Netherlands a few months ago.

"We don't have to be scared and no matter who plays we will be 100 per cent focused on winning the game."

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