Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is the best defender the club have ever had in the Premier League era, according to BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand.
Van Dijk came in from fellow Premier League side Southampton back in January and has gone on to become one of the club’s key players in the Liverpool defence.
Van Dijk at Liverpool: five things you need to know
- He cost the Merseyside club £75 million, a world-record fee for a defender
- To date, the Dutchman has made 44 appearances in all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s side
- This season, Van Dijk has helped ensure that Liverpool have only conceded six goals in 16 Premier League games so far
- The Reds have kept 10 clean sheets out of 16 league matches already this campaign
- Cardiff’s Callum Paterson is the only player to score a Premier League goal against Liverpool at Anfield in 2018/19
Speaking on BT Sport prior to Liverpool’s vital Champions League Group C clash against Serie A giants Napoli, Ferdinand revealed that his respect for Van Dijk is so high, that he believes there are no other defenders who have played for the Reds in the Premier League era who are better than the club’s current star centre-back.
“An absolutely calming influence on this Liverpool team, not just the back four.
“I would go as far as to say that he is the best defender they have had in the Premier League era.
One of the best in his day, to one of the best right now
pic.twitter.com/2KvBw4TzYx
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) December 11, 2018
“I think that his influence has been that big. You always felt Liverpool could concede goals and they were vulnerable at the back. As soon as he put his foot in the door, that changed.
“That’s the amount of an effect he has had and I still think there is more to come from him.”
The Reds’ No.4 picked up a yellow card in the first half against Carlo Ancelotti’s side on Tuesday evening meaning that he will miss the first leg of their last 16 tie.
The draw will be made on Monday 17th December.
“He’s got a long way to go”
Despite Ferdinand’s praise, there are some who are still to be convinced of Van Dijk’s seemingly evident quality.
In truth, Ferdinand did say the Dutchman was the best defender in Liverpool’s Premier League history, tactically leaving out many years prior to the league’s birth in 1992.
Perhaps that was wise, at least in Liverpool club legend Ian Rush’s opinion, who believes that Van Dijk has a long way to go to emulate the qualities possessed by former club defender Alan Hansen.
Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool in the Premier League since making his debut:
Most touches (2,725)
Define: colossus. ⛰ pic.twitter.com/DILCZqYSaU
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) December 10, 2018
As quoted by talkSPORT, he said: “Well, he’s still got a long way to go, for me. If Alan Hansen would be playing football today, he’d be an absolute world-beater.
“Even in our day, he never tackled anyone, but on the ball, he was absolutely unbelievable. He was like a midfielder.”
The post Rio Ferdinand: Van Dijk already Liverpool’s best defender of the Premier League era appeared first on Squawka News.
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