Robbie Fowler heaped praise on Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk ahead of him potentially going toe-to-toe with Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard.
The former Reds player claimed that if there was any player capable of stopping Hazard, who he believes can be unstoppable on his day, then it was the 27-year-old centre-back.
Fowler noted that not only was Van Dijk a powerful defender but that he was also so nimble that it made him hard to beat.
“If there’s one player who can handle Hazard, it’s Virgil van Dijk,” wrote Fowler in his column for his Daily Mirror.
“The thing about an ‘up-for-it Hazard’ is he’s a centre-half’s nightmare. He drops deep where they can’t go, then turns and runs at incredible speed through them.
“I swear he’s quicker with the ball than without it, that makes him almost unstoppable at times. Yet Van Dijk has an almost superhuman ability not to be beaten.
“It’s incredible, but he hasn’t been dribbled past in more than a year. True story.
“Think about that. A big, powerful commanding centre-back who is nimble enough not to be taken on and beaten.”
Fowler then gushed in detail about Van Dijk’s defending against Moussa Sissoko in the recent win over Tottenham to help justify his high praise of the centre-back.
“He’s imposing – he showed that by psyching Moussa Sissoko out of that chance he had for Spurs a couple of weeks ago. But more importantly, he never seems to be flustered,” added the former Liverpool player.
“That’s because he has an ability to almost make time stand still when he’s making decisions. I’d liken it to the greatest goalscorers who have that coolness to work out exactly the right option in a fraction of a second. Time pauses for them.
“He had to make so many calculations to keep Sissoko from passing to a guy who would score, forcing him to shoot wildly on his left foot – and got all the answers correct.”
OPINION
Van Dijk is often praised by former Liverpool players, pundits and fans alike, but Fowler’s verdict on the defender may be the most glowing endorsement yet. The former Reds forward seems blown away by how good Van Dijk is and he can’t seem to say enough nice words. The fact Fowler believes Hazard can be unstoppable but that the defender is capable of halting him in his tracks on Sunday is very telling. Hazard has stolen the headlines more often than not for Chelsea and will no doubt be determined to once again manoeuvre his way on to the back pages by stealing the show against the Reds. However Fowler is spot-on to suggest that Van Dijk can ruin Hazard’s day. The centre-back has proven he can’t be easily dribbled around and will no doubt have to be fully focused when it comes to stopping the Chelsea star having it all his own way. If Van Dijk neutralises the threat of Hazard then the Reds will have a very good chance of achieving victory.
