Van Dijk will need to prove he’s top dog
Struggling Virgil can silence his critics in huge duel with Haaland
ASK the manager who brought Virgil van Dijk to Britain and was later in charge of the first British club to face Erling Haaland. Neil Lennon has a unique insight into the battle between the Premier League’s best striker and defender.
‘It’ll be a Clash of the Titans,’ he says succinctly. ‘Knowing Virg, he has that cold confidence about him, but then again so does Haaland. It’s going to be a fascinating watch.’
Part of the intrigue is that Haaland has exploded into English football like no one before. He has 20 goals in 13 matches, figures that haven’t been reached since the 1920s. In contrast, Van Dijk — a Ballon d’Or nominee not long ago — has looked uncharacteristically vulnerable in a Liverpool team that shipped three goals lately against Brighton and Arsenal.
Lennon took the Dutchman to Celtic from Groningen for £2.6million in 2013, surely one of the bargains of the century.
He knows Van Dijk as a character as well as a player and interestingly says a duel with the mighty Haaland is probably what the 31-year-old needs right now.
‘Virgil will look forward to it. He will want to prove he’s still the top dog,’ says Lennon, now manager of Omonia Nicosia. ‘He has been a bit off for his levels this season but he can go through the gears when he really wants to. From what I’ve seen, he is still capable of turning on the burners and be a proper defender.
‘He is a real physical specimen and so is Haaland. Virgil will fancy it I think. He’ll go “Right, come on, let’s see what you’ve got”. When world-class players like him get criticism, they’ll come back for more. They won’t shirk responsibility.
‘I was amazed a big club didn’t take him from Celtic because he was awesome, not just in the Scottish League but Champions League also. A couple of managers asked me about him and I said “What are you waiting on?!” This kid was a Rio Ferdinand. But they weren’t sure, so he went to Southampton and the rest is history.
‘I’ve followed his career with admiration and he’s a lovely boy as well. I am not surprised he has set such a high standard. When you dip, people start questioning you but he’s still got it. The problem is Haaland is unbelievable as well!’
Lennon also had an early glimpse of Haaland — who ididn’t score against Van Dijk in City’s Community Shield defeat by Liverpool. The Norwegian was 18 when he scored twice against Lennon’s Hibs in the Europa League in 2018.
‘Ole [Solskjaer] was their manager and he had this kid that made you go “Wow”. My assistant Garry Parker could spot a player and he thought he was unbelievable. I think a deal to take him to Salzburg had been arranged even at that stage.
‘Haaland is ripping up the rule book, Man City are in great form. Liverpool won’t want to lose to them. What a game to look forward to.’
Even Pep Guardiola has been taken aback at the impact Haaland has made. Not only because of the 22-year-old’s special ability but his maturity and mental strength. It shouldn’t be forgotten he had only eight touches, and no goals, in the 4-0 win against Bournemouth on August 13. Instead of feeling frustrated or letting doubt creep in, he has scored in all 10 games he’s played for City since.
‘We know his skills but I have been surprised by his mentality. How he behaves in bad moments,’ said Guardiola. ‘It is difficult to always stay focused when you don’t touch the ball but even if he’s not directly involved for 20 minutes, he is never out of the
game. He keeps the belief he is involved in the process, and when he touches the ball it will go in the net. He’s never disconnected and now he is involved more in general play than at the start.
‘The biggest challenge for him was to adapt as quickly as possible, know his mates, the way they play and adapt to the lifestyle in England. You have to perform in every single game the best possible.’
Scoring at Anfield was something City’s record goalscorer Sergio Aguero never managed. Haaland already has, for Salzburg in the 2019 Champions League, and you wouldn’t write off a repeat.
Van Dijk will have something to say about that. Bullied by Aleksandr Mitrovic in the first league game of the season, he’ll want to keep his record of never having lost a home league game for Liverpool. Klopp is trying to play down the the head-to-head being pivotal today.
‘Sorry, you need to have these discussions without me,’ he said. ‘It is not like we will play man-marking against Haaland. There were moments in the Community Shield when Virgil got the better of him, and moments involving other players. I remember Robbo [Andy Robertson] tried to get him off the ball and it looked like he ran into a wall!’
While Klopp focuses on the bigger picture, Lennon will take a keen interest in the battle between two of the world’s finest. ‘It’s going to be mouthwatering, I don’t know who will come out on top,’ he says with a smile.