Premier League legend Alan Shearer has heaped praise on Liverpool centre back Virgil van Dijk ahead of the Reds’ clash with Manchester City on Thursday.
Van Dijk has undoubtedly emerged as the world’s finest defender this season, and Shearer is certainly aboard the Dutchman’s bandwagon.
“He very rarely makes a mistake and, certainly this season, I don’t see a weakness in his game,” he told the Football Daily podcast [3:40]. “The pace of Van Dijk, the strength of him, how good he is in the air, the reading of the game when the ball’s going into the forward – whether that’s just to sit tight and mark him or whether he can nip in in front of you.
“He had added so much to that Liverpool backline with his presence and certainly, obviously, with the goalkeeper behind him as well. He’s a very, very good centre half,” he finished.
OPINION
What more can you say about Van Dijk? The former Southampton man has long been considered one of the premier centre backs in British football, but he is now thought of as the greatest defender in world football at this moment in time. Shearer certainly seems to hold him in high regard and, for a defender, receiving praise from a deadly striker like Shearer is about as good as it gets. The Geordie great made a career out of making top class centre halves look silly, and even he can’t see a weakness in Van Dijk’s game. There’s really no doubt that Van Dijk has transformed this Liverpool defence. The backline was always the Reds’ achilles heel under Jurgen Klopp, but since Van Dijk’s arrival a year ago it has become the team’s ultimate strength. Alisson has helped in that regard since he joined the club this summer, but Van Dijk’s impact has unquestionably been greatest.
