Van to rub off on Kop stars
MOHAMED SALAH has stolen the show for Liverpool this season with his sensational displays.
The 36-goal Egyptian has barely put a foot wrong since joining from Roma last summer for what looks a bargain at £37m.
While Salah hogs the headlines, defender Virgil van Dijk is also doing his bit at the opposite end of the pitch.
Costing double the price, the Dutchman arrived from Southampton in January as the world’s most expensive defender.
Slowly but surely, he is making his presence felt.
“He looks like a leader, like a warrior,” said Kop boss Jurgen Klopp.
Which is exactly what Liverpool have been missing at the back for a long time.
Van Dijk may not have drastically improved Liverpool’s clean sheet stats or hugely lowered the number of shots the opposition get in.
But his calming presence, leadership and sheer quality has improved those around him.
In short, Liverpool’s defence is far less likely to panic when the pressure is on like they have in the past.
Dejan Lovren, aside from an awful afternoon at Manchester United, looks a much better player when he is alongside Van Dijk.
Saved
Even goalkeeper Loris Karius is improving, making Klopp’s claim that the German can be his long-term No.1 more believable.
“You need people at the sharp end. This season the back line has had a lot of criticism, but also a lot times they have done well for us,” said midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.
“There have been times when we didn’t play well but they saved us in games.
“There is no one who speaks about that because the front three, or the players up front, score the goals and we win. But I think that the defenders also did a good job, so it is something we must not forget.”
Van Dijk already feels at home at Anfield, saying: “I feel settled, definitely. Quicker than I might have thought? I don’t know.
“Obviously you come here with expectations and you want to play as soon as possible, and as much as possible. You want to be as fit as possible and as quick as possible.
“Now, I’m getting better and better, and the understanding with all of the players is getting much better. I’m just playing my game and trying to help my team.
“What per cent am I now? That’s difficult. But I’m completely over the ankle problems.
“That was already the case when I started playing again at Southampton. It’s more than that. Condition-wise and the way Liverpool play, you need to be spot on. That’s pretty clear right now.”
Liverpool will need Van Dijk at his best for a big eight days at the start of April.
They take on Manchester City over two legs in the Champions League quarter-finals, with the Merseyside derby against Everton sandwiched in between.
Before then, Van Dijk’s focus is international duty with Holland, who play England on Friday in Amsterdam. After impressing his club boss, it is time to remind new Dutch manager Ronald Koeman what he can do too.
“It’s a big period for us as a country – we have been in transition,” added Van Dijk, who Koeman signed for Southampton from Celtic in 2015.
“We have a new manager and it’s going to be totally different now. I’m looking forward to meeting up with the guys.”