LIVERPOOL (AFP) - Virgil van Dijk returns to his former club Southampton on Friday (April 5) with a growing reputation as one of the most influential figures in the Premier League title race between his Liverpool side and Manchester City.
For all their attacking threat, Jurgen Klopp's men owe a huge debt to their Dutch defender, signed from Southampton 15 months ago for an eye-watering £75 million (S$134 million) fee, the size of which raised eyebrows.
But now the investment looks one of the wisest in recent Premier League history, with one Van Dijk moment in particular, during the weekend win over Tottenham, being held up as an example of his peerless form.
With the game finely poised at 1-1 at Anfield on Sunday, Tottenham had a two-on-one break, featuring Moussa Sissoko and Son Heung-min against the Liverpool centre-half.
Van Dijk took the decision to leave Sissoko with the ball, forcing him into a shot that the nervous Tottenham man missed hopelessly, paving the way for Liverpool to snatch a dramatic last-gasp winner.
"Of course," said teammate Andy Robertson when asked if that one moment showcased Van Dijk's skills to their utmost.
"He made the right decision there. Look, it's getting to the point of the season where both teams wanted to win it. If it's maybe in the first month of the season, it probably sees out as a 1-1 draw.
"But they're fighting for Champions League spots and they needed three points and we needed three points. That's why we brought on extra attackers and we went for it and tried to get the three points and luckily we did.
"But these situations are going to happen. We're maybe going to get a wee bit exposed at the back but there's nobody better to deal with it. Luckily we got away with one there and they've not got away with it."
Robertson was not the only admirer following the Dutchman's role in that victory and, with every passing week, the case for Van Dijk to be named as the Premier League's player of the year is gaining momentum.
Liverpool's protracted bid to sign the defender from Southampton, which had been thwarted the previous summer, was met with disbelief by many as he became the most expensive defender in the history of the game.
But his displays last season, in helping Liverpool reach the Champions League final, answered many of the doubters and Van Dijk's form has, if anything, been even more impressive this season.
Manchester City's Raheem Sterling is another strong candidate for the end-of-season individual awards but Van Dijk has made a strong case and the only slight concern for Klopp after the Tottenham victory was the sight of his key defender using an ice pack on a muscle injury after the game.
However, concerns he could be a fitness doubt for the return to his old club were quickly dispelled when Liverpool showed footage of the 27-year-old taking part in a full training session on Wednesday.
"He's so important to us not only as a player but as a person. I couldn't say a bad word about him even if I wanted," said Klopp.
"Yes he has improved us and he has improved since he came here as well. He is a different player to when he was at Southampton. Champions League quarter-finals, semi-finals and final help you as a player."
SINGAPORE — Singapore's national striker Ikhsan Fandi scored his first competitive goal for his Norwegian club Raufoss IL on Sunday (12 May), and it proved to be a spectacular winner for his side. The 20-year-old was jostling in a crowded penalty area with one minute left in regulation time
WATCH: Singapore youngster Ikhsan Fandi scores his first
Chelsea boss Sarri baffled by 6-0 humbling at Man City dropped to their lowest position of the season to sixth after losing to Manchester City. fantastic football and we made a lot of
Chelsea boss Sarri baffled by 6-0 humbling at Man City
CRISTIANO RONALDO is set to face Manchester United this summer after being kept away from a tournament in America over fears he will be detained in a rape probe. ICC TOURNAMENT . The majority
ICC news: Ronaldo skips ICC, Barca bring Messi, Suarez
ABERDEEN, Scotland (AP) — A joint World Cup bid by North and South Korea is being talked up by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. "I have been hearing for the Women's World Cup in 2023, the two Koreas," Infantino said.
Joint Korean bid for 2023 Women's World Cup floated by FIFA
Gianluigi Buffon will leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer World Cup winner Buffon to leave PSG. adding to a bulging trophy cabinet that contains just about every honour in football.
World Cup winner Buffon to leave Paris Saint-Germain
Apr 27, 2019 · Manchester City's Pep Guardiola rejects Jürgen Klopp's Burnley warning This article is more than 1 month old • City manager says focus will be on a Sunday defeat of Burnley
Manchester United's Class of '92 coach and mentor Eric Harrison passes away in sleep aged 81. It is the first official confirmation of the financial hit United took when they sacked the £346,000
José Mourinho | The Guardian
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Local reaction to what happened around the NFL Sunday is mixed. A number of NFL players locked arms during the national anthem as a show of unity, and many of them knelt as well
American Football - Usa24informator
usa24informator.com/category/sports/american-football/
Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump said he wants to meet with NFL players and other athletes who kneel during the National Anthem so they can recommend people they think should be pardoned due to unfair treatment by the justice system.
PSG chairman 'poisoning' team with treatment of Rabiot - agent
Football: Man City look like world's best side but Liverpool
Real Madrid inflicted a painful 3-1 defeat on rivals Barcelona, completing a 4-2 aggregate win in the Copa del Rey semi-final second-leg in the Nou Camp. Cristiano Ronaldo picked himself up after
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona - Football Match Report - February
Football: The great comebacks in Champions League history Liverpool's Belgium striker Divock Origi (right) celebrates wtih Liverpool's Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri after scoring their fourth goal.
Five great Champions League comebacks - Punch Newspapers
0 comments:
Post a Comment