Match of the Day pundit Martin Keown has waxed lyrical about the pairing of Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez once again after their performance against Crystal Palace on Monday night.
The Liverpool duo sat in the heart of the defence against the Eagles, standing firm to hold out for a 2-0 win thanks to goals from James Milner and Sadio Mane.
Crystal Palace piled the pressure on Van Dijk and Gomez on Monday night, but Keown praised the way they handled everything their opponents threw at them.
“Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez were like panthers in the way they prowled around the pitch at Selhurst Park. The new partnership at the heart of Liverpool’s defence has the perfect blend of youth and experience, pace and poise, tenacity and understanding,” he wrote in his Daily Mail column.
“They have the potential to become one of the greatest pairings the Premier League has ever seen. Van Dijk, 27, is now playing with the confidence and maturity of a central defender at his peak. He has that look of a player who senses he is on the cusp of major success.
“Van Dijk and Gomez have the makings of an outstanding partnership.”
The former Arsenal defender also heaped praise on Gomez – who is six years’ Van Dijk’s junior – labelling him as just as “impressive” as his defensive partner after the clash with Palace.
OPINION
Keown is right to wax lyrical once again about such an impressive partnership. The pairing may be in its early stages, but Keown has already spotted the potential of them being one of the league’s greatest partnerships. He is right – Liverpool have not conceded a goal in either of their first two matches, and they only have these to thank for that. Goalkeeper Allison has not really had his work cut out just yet, but that it is down to Liverpool’s reliable duo. Either player – especially Van Dijk – is not afraid of going in to win the ball, reminding his opponents about his physical presence in the air. Keown is right – he looks like a player who has just entered his peak, and it has come at such an important time in the club’s history. . The Reds needs everybody to be on form this season, but they will not have to worry about the likes of Van Dijk, who has easily been one of their standout players so far this season.
