Let’s begin with a couple of debates for the dinner table while you are polishing off the last of the turkey butties and other Christmas leftovers this weekend.
Is Virgil van Dijk in the best form of his career? And where does he stand in the pantheon of great Premier League defenders?
At 33, many would surmise he is as good – if not better – than his supposed peak in Liverpool’s title win of 2019-20. With the Reds now pulling clear of the contenders and pretenders in the battle for supremacy this year, the argument is gaining significant weight.
There is an elephant that follows Van Dijk around the room in every debate and that is his contract, which expires at the end of this season. We will discuss that in due course but, for now, Liverpool fans are enjoying their captain being back to his very best level.
Friday marked seven years of Van Dijk at Liverpool, after his £75million move from Southampton. A brief trawl through the archives showed the usual suspects of armchair pundits calling it a rip-off.
It is easy with hindsight but, looking back, £75m for a man of this stature represents an almighty steal. Even though he is on the wrong side of 30, name a defender in the world who brings what Van Dijk does to this Liverpool side.
Virgil van Dijk has been in imperious form for Liverpool who have a commanding lead in the Premier League title race
The Dutchman was virtually unbeatable during the Reds’ march to the title in 2020. His form saw him narrowly miss out on the Ballon d’Or and claim the best player in Europe award
Friday marked the seven-year anniversary of his £75million signing from Southampton
His Reds career started on a high, scoring a last-gasp winner in the Merseyside derby over Everton with a towering header, becoming the first Liverpool player to score past their city rivals on debut since Bill White in 1901.
Aside from a season-wrecking injury in 2020-21 – he played just five league games that campaign, and reigning champions Liverpool finished 17 points adrift of Manchester City which says a lot – he has barely looked back since that first week on Merseyside.
Asked about whether his captain is better than ever, boss Arne Slot said on Friday: ‘It is difficult to judge because I wasn’t here when Virgil was close to winning the Ballon d’Or in 2019. He is a tremendous player and has been for so many years for Liverpool.
‘Unfortunately he was out with an injury for almost all of one season and that didn’t help this football club at all. So that probably tells you how much of an impact he’s had here. I can only tell you about my experiences with him.
‘And it is not only what you see – because you see all the games and he is outstanding during them – but he has such a big impact during training sessions as well. He is the vocal leader of the team.
‘Every time we start an exercise he is on top of his team-mates and he leads by example. So, for me, he has been outstanding until now and I only hope he can continue showing this during the games and the training sessions as long as he is with us.’
Slot is to Liverpool what Sir Alastair Cook or Sir Geoffrey Boycott were to England in cricket: the king of the straight bat. He always answers any questions about contracts without flinching under pressure, not giving the media any sound bites.
But behind that, when the cameras are off and hungry reporters are not present, the Dutch head coach is desperate for his captain to sign that new deal. Before Liverpool, Slot did not believe in the concept of one definite leader in a group – but that has now changed.
Arne Slot has been effusive in his praise of his countryman since his arrival at Anfield in summer
He told Dutch TV last month: ‘Before I worked with Virgil, I always said I no longer believe in the concept of a leader. But Virgil is someone who constantly makes sure the boys are there and is the leader in coaching. He gives a good example in training and in the gym.’
He is always chirping up in team meetings and regularly doing his rounds of the breakfast tables – the squad all eat together in the mornings, a new rule implemented by Slot – to check everyone is happy and focused on the task ahead.
Van Dijk is said to be the big brother of the camp and a more hands-on leader than the likes of Jordan Henderson or James Milner. He has solid relationships with everyone in the building, be it coaches, media team or medical staff.
He sees the captaincy as an honour but also an important role – and wants to challenge people in a positive way every day. In terms of friendship, he is closest to Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate – which helps given they are his defensive partners – but has a strong bond with all.
His leadership extends beyond Liverpool. Van Dijk wrote a personal letter to each squad member of the Netherlands’ European Championship bid, each with a hand-written message of inspiration, encouragement and motivation.
After England knocked out the Dutch in the last four – Ollie Watkins with that late goal in Dortmund – Van Dijk said his dreams were ‘shattered’ and he took a while to get over it. But even though he will turn 35 during the 2026 World Cup, there is no reason why the defender cannot be present.
That is due to his commitment to recovery, his buzzword in interviews. He is always happy to give time to the media and, like Slot, has a canny poker face. Van Dijk rarely breaks from his tunnel-visioned mentality of ‘one game at a time’ and focusing on sports science.
Van Dijk is a big believer in ice baths and his interest on this side of the game perhaps stemmed from his time working with Amsterdam-based physiotherapist Sjoerd Sluijs during his time injured four years ago.
Despite his advancing years, Van Dijk remains in top physical condition thanks to his commitment to recovery
Debate has raged over whether he or Mohamed Salah is more indispensable to Liverpool
The 33-year-old has his own private team to help with nutrition, body recovery and gym work. He is a regular in saunas and has used aquacycling, essentially an exercise bike underwater. Van Dijk is often spotted with a interestingly-coloured recovery shake or smoothie after games.
Another intriguing debate would be who is more irreplaceable out of him or Salah – both of whom want to stay at the club and just need to find the right deal, which is a nuanced and complex process.
‘The one Liverpool player that (if they got) injured is a problem is Van Dijk,’ said former left back John Arne Riise on Thursday. ‘If he gets injured, they could struggle. He’s so important, not just as a player, but lifting the players around him, the confidence he gives.’
All of this is giving Van Dijk the belief he can continue at the top level for several more years yet. His predecessor as skipper, Henderson, said last week: ‘I feel Virgil could play until 39 or 40. If they give him a contract for two, three, four years, it would be a pretty good bit of business.’
So back to those food coma-led debates. A quick straw poll of fans on social media by Mail Sport yesterday found that 60 per cent of fans reckon he is NOT better than his original peak of the all-conquering Champions League and Premier League-winning team. A small but fair margin.
The statistics, though, say he is enjoying his best season at the club. He is making more tackles (1.2) and more interceptions (1.9) per 90 minutes than ever, while his passing accuracy is also at an all-time high (91.6 per cent).
‘It has been a big change for me – we played a certain way under Jurgen (Klopp),’ he said recently. ‘I have more responsibility for starting attacks and I am enjoying it. It is a surprise for people to see me doing it, but it was always there. It is another string to my bow.’
But the words he said this weekend would have resonated more with Liverpool fans. ‘I love the club, the club loves me,’ he said. ‘In my opinion I can play for another three, four years at least at the highest level.’
