The best version of Virgil van Dijk is back this season. The Dutch star promises to become an important factor for Liverpool in the Premier League championship race.
This weekend, all eyes in the foggy football world are directed towards Etihad Stadium. Man City has a great battle with rival Liverpool. The match is a 6-point match, deciding the top spot in the Premier League rankings.
The gap between Man City and Liverpool is only one point. The Kop wants to win, thereby dethroning their opponents and climbing to number 1. Currently, Jurgen Klopp’s army is considered an equal opponent to the blue half of Manchester.
Virgil van Dijk is one of Liverpool’s fulcrums in the upcoming war. If Mohamed Salah becomes an irreplaceable piece in the attack, then Van Dijk is considered the most important factor in the defense system.
Leaving behind a period of erratic ups and downs, Van Dijk is rediscovering his former peak image. Three years since his serious hamstring injury, the Dutch player has gradually regained trust in the hearts of fans.
“My injury is very serious. You have to get used to your knees again. Now, I don’t pay attention to my knees anymore. I feel like I can do anything. Everything has been going very well since the summer,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports.
At the same time, Liverpool ranked 9th, 15 points behind Man City in the rankings in the 2022/2023 season. At present, The Kop is transformed when ranked 2nd, one point behind Man City.
Van Dijk’s top performance contributed significantly to the achievements of Jurgen Klopp’s team. Liverpool have conceded 10 goals this season, the best record in the Premier League, on par with Arsenal.
The 3-0 victory over Brentford was Liverpool’s third clean sheet in four matches. Captain Van Dijk left a strong impression with significant improvements in playing style.
Van Dijk is not as agile as before, but the 32-year-old star still has the qualities of the world’s top centre-back.
According to statistics from Opta, Van Dijk has a winning rate of 80.5% in duels on the ground; won 82.3% of air disputes. Marked improvement compared to last season.
After 12 Premier League rounds, Van Dijk has not been beaten by an opponent once. The image is reminiscent of the 32-year-old midfielder’s excellent performance in the 2018/2019 season.
Besides the bright spots, Van Dijk sometimes made mistakes. The foul situation with Aleksandar Isak in the Newcastle United match led to a disastrous red card.
Parameters such as Van Dijk’s short pass rate, long pass rate, and ball loss rate have all improved significantly compared to last season.
Sharing with the Daily Telegraph column, former player Jamie Carragher commented: “Becoming a top midfielder in a big team has never been so difficult. That position requires the most stringent criteria. You need natural speed in the striker, technical foundation in the midfielder and other additional qualities.”
Van Dijk possesses all the elements that make up an excellent ‘rock’. Besides his expertise, the Dutch star also demonstrated his leadership qualities when taking on the role of captain after Jordan Henderson left last summer.
Van Dijk plays the role of a senior, helping young midfielder Jarell Quansah play confidently, gradually maturing through each match.
Sharing with Sky Sports, Joe Gomez said: “I was really impressed when I saw how Van Dijk played. He holds himself to high standards, is ready to yell and correct us when necessary.”
Liverpool needs the highest level version of Van Dijk when facing Man City at Etihad Stadium. Strong fulcrum in defense.