He starts attacks

No centre-back has averaged more passes into the final third than Van Dijk over the past year. ‘I was speaking to Eddie Howe about Liverpool’s switches of play,’ says Owen. ‘When he was at Bournemouth that was the crippling factor. People underestimate how they start play from the back.’ The example below is from the first minute of Liverpool’s game against Everton. Van Dijk drops back then picks out Trent Alexander-Arnold on the other side of the pitch who attempts to curl an early ball into Roberto Firmino. Liverpool are into the box in two passes.