Let’s start with a few debates for the dinner desk if you are sharpening off the final of the turkey butties and different Christmas leftovers this weekend.
Is Virgil van Dijk in the very best type of his profession? And the place does he stand within the pantheon of nice Premier League defenders?
At 33, many would surmise he’s nearly as good – if not higher – than his supposed peak in Liverpool’s title win of 2019-20. With the Reds now pulling away from the contenders and pretenders within the battle for supremacy this 12 months, the argument is gaining vital weight.
There’s an elephant that follows Van Dijk across the room in each debate and that’s his contract, which expires on the finish of this season. We are going to focus on that sooner or later however, for now, Liverpool followers are having fun with their captain being again to his perfect stage.
Friday marked seven years of Van Dijk at Liverpool, after his £75million transfer from Southampton. A quick trawl by means of the archives confirmed the same old suspects of armchair pundits calling it a rip-off.
It’s simple with hindsight however, wanting again, £75m for a person of this stature represents an almighty steal. Regardless that he’s on the incorrect aspect of 30, identify a defender on the planet who brings what Van Dijk does to this Liverpool aspect.
Virgil van Dijk has been in imperious type for Liverpool who’ve a commanding lead within the Premier League title race
The Dutchman was nearly unbeatable throughout the Reds’ march to the title in 2020. His type noticed him narrowly miss out on the Ballon d’Or and declare the very best participant in Europe award
Friday marked the seven-year anniversary of his £75million signing from Southampton
His Reds profession began on a excessive, scoring a last-gasp winner within the Merseyside derby over Everton with a towering header, turning into the primary Liverpool participant to attain previous their metropolis rivals on debut since Invoice White in 1901.
Other than a season-wrecking harm in 2020-21 – he performed simply 5 league video games that marketing campaign, and reigning champions Liverpool completed 17 factors adrift of Manchester Metropolis which says lots – he has barely appeared again since that first week on Merseyside.
Requested about whether or not his captain is best than ever, boss Arne Slot stated on Friday: ‘It’s tough to evaluate as a result of I wasn’t right here when Virgil was near profitable the Ballon d’Or in 2019. He’s an incredible participant and has been for therefore a few years for Liverpool.
‘Sadly he was out with an harm for nearly all of 1 season and that did not assist this soccer membership in any respect. In order that in all probability tells you the way a lot of an affect he is had right here. I can solely let you know about my experiences with him.
‘And it’s not solely what you see – since you see all of the video games and he’s excellent throughout them – however he has such a huge impact throughout coaching classes as nicely. He’s the vocal chief of the workforce.
‘Each time we begin an train he’s on high of his team-mates and he leads by instance. So, for me, he has been excellent till now and I solely hope he can proceed displaying this throughout the video games and the coaching classes so long as he’s with us.’
Slot is to Liverpool what Sir Alastair Cook dinner or Sir Geoffrey Boycott had been to England in cricket: the king of the straight bat. He all the time solutions any questions on contracts with out flinching beneath stress, not giving the media any sound bites.
However behind that, when the cameras are off and hungry reporters are usually not current, the Dutch head coach is determined for his captain to signal that new deal. Earlier than Liverpool, Slot didn’t imagine within the idea of 1 particular chief in a bunch – however that has now modified.
Arne Slot has been effusive in his reward of his countryman since his arrival at Anfield in summer season
He advised Dutch TV final month: ‘Earlier than I labored with Virgil, I all the time stated I now not imagine within the idea of a pacesetter. However Virgil is somebody who always makes certain the boys are there and is the chief in teaching. He provides an excellent instance in coaching and within the fitness center.’
He’s all the time chirping up in workforce conferences and recurrently doing his rounds of the breakfast tables – the squad all eat collectively within the mornings, a brand new rule applied by Slot – to test everyone seems to be blissful and centered on the duty forward.
Van Dijk is claimed to be the large brother of the camp and a extra hands-on chief than the likes of Jordan Henderson or James Milner. He has strong relationships with everybody within the constructing, be it coaches, media workforce or medical employees.
He sees the captaincy as an honour but in addition an necessary position – and desires to problem folks in a optimistic manner on daily basis. When it comes to friendship, he’s closest to Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate – which helps given they’re his defensive companions – however has a powerful bond with all.
His management extends past Liverpool. Van Dijk wrote a private letter to every squad member of the Netherlands’ European Championship bid, every with a hand-written message of inspiration, encouragement and motivation.
After England knocked out the Dutch within the final 4 – Ollie Watkins with that late purpose in Dortmund – Van Dijk stated his goals had been ‘shattered’ and he took some time to recover from it. However although he’ll flip 35 throughout the 2026 World Cup, there is no such thing as a motive why the defender can’t be current.
That is because of his dedication to restoration, his buzzword in interviews. He’s all the time blissful to present time to the media and, like Slot, has a canny poker face. Van Dijk not often breaks from his tunnel-visioned mentality of ‘one sport at a time’ and specializing in sports activities science.
Van Dijk is a giant believer in ice baths and his curiosity on this aspect of the sport maybe stemmed from his time working with Amsterdam-based physiotherapist Sjoerd Sluijs throughout his time injured 4 years in the past.
Regardless of his advancing years, Van Dijk stays in high bodily situation due to his dedication to restoration
Debate has raged over whether or not he or Mohamed Salah is extra indispensable to Liverpool
The 33-year-old has his personal personal workforce to assist with diet, physique restoration and fitness center work. He’s a daily in saunas and has used aquacycling, primarily an train bike underwater. Van Dijk is commonly noticed with a interestingly-coloured restoration shake or smoothie after video games.
One other intriguing debate can be who’s extra irreplaceable out of him or Salah – each of whom wish to keep on the membership and simply want to search out the proper deal, which is a nuanced and complicated course of.
‘The one Liverpool participant that (in the event that they acquired) injured is an issue is Van Dijk,’ stated former left again John Arne Riise on Thursday. ‘If he will get injured, they might wrestle. He’s so necessary, not simply as a participant, however lifting the gamers round him, the boldness he provides.’
All of that is giving Van Dijk the idea he can proceed on the high stage for a number of extra years but. His predecessor as skipper, Henderson, stated final week: ‘I really feel Virgil may play till 39 or 40. If they offer him a contract for 2, three, 4 years, it will be a fairly good little bit of enterprise.’
So again to these meals coma-led debates. A fast straw ballot of followers on social media by Mail Sport yesterday discovered that 60 per cent of followers reckon he’s NOT higher than his unique peak of the all-conquering Champions League and Premier League-winning workforce. A small however honest margin.
The statistics, although, say he’s having fun with his finest season on the membership. He’s making extra tackles (1.2) and extra interceptions (1.9) per 90 minutes than ever, whereas his passing accuracy can be at an all-time excessive (91.6 per cent).
‘It has been a giant change for me – we performed a sure manner beneath Jurgen (Klopp),’ he stated just lately. ‘I’ve extra duty for beginning assaults and I’m having fun with it. It’s a shock for folks to see me doing it, but it surely was all the time there. It’s one other string to my bow.’
However the phrases he stated this weekend would have resonated extra with Liverpool followers. ‘I really like the membership, the membership loves me,’ he stated. ‘In my view I can play for an additional three, 4 years at the very least on the highest stage.’
