Before Van Dijk, Liverpool were prone to conceding careless goals due to unorganised, sloppy defending. After his arrival, even the greatest teams feared Liverpool. In the 2 seasons before his ACL tear, the best players from across the globe tried to get the better of the centre back, attempting 54 times to beat him in the dribble. Only 1 man made it past him.
After his ACL injury in late 2020, claims arose that the Dutchman was past his best, and that he could never fully recover from such a serious injury so late on in his career. To put it in context, in the 3 years after his injury, Van Dijk was dribbled past 23 times from 89 attempts.
In the 3 years after his injury, Van Dijk was dribbled past 23 times from 89 attempts
This is not a completely damning statistic, however, and in Van Dijk’s return season Liverpool came closer than most to the quadruple, which continues to elude the grasp of any in England.
But it was last season that really fuelled the rhetoric that Van Dijk’s reign was over. Missing out on Champions League qualification for the first time since the 2015-16 season, Liverpool finished in 5th place, with only a late 7-game winning streak preventing them from finishing lower.
Van Dijk came under increasing scrutiny after some costly mistakes and defending much below the standard he had once set. During that season, the Reds conceded 36 goals in the 32 appearances that Van Dijk made, only managing to keep 11 clean sheets. In comparison, the season prior, Liverpool conceded 21 goals and did not concede 21 times in the centre back’s 34 appearances.
However, it is excessive to pin Liverpool’s woes last season exclusively on the Dutchman. Throughout the season, there was an overwhelming narrative, between supporters and pundits alike, that Liverpool’s midfield lacked the energy and desire that had once carried them to such abundant glory. Without the adequate defensive support once offered by the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, Van Dijk and the rest of the Liverpool defence too often found themselves exposed and vulnerable.
This season, however, it is no secret that Virgil Van Dijk is back to his imperious best. In his 10 Premier League appearances so far, the Dutchman has won 51 of his 62 aerial duels, and won all 13 of his attempted tackles, better than any other in the league to date. In an ode to the Van Dijk of old, no one yet has succeeded in dribbling past him.
Liverpool also currently have the best defence in the league, tied with Arsenal after conceding just 10 goals in 12 Premier League matches so far.
It appears that Virgil van Dijk’s return to form has directly coincided with Jürgen Klopp’s decision to appoint him as club captain, after the departure of both Jordan Henderson and James Milner in the summer.
In this respect, the defender deserves his flowers; already needing a major improvement from a forgettable season last year, Van Dijk has taken the added responsibility of the captaincy in his stride. In a recent interview, the defender stated that he “feels as if he can do everything again.”
In a recent interview, the defender stated that he “feels as if he can do everything again.”
Suspicions about the impact of an aging midfield on Liverpool’s poor performances were all but confirmed since the arrival of midfield trio Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch to Anfield, with the reds looking completely revitalised and once again dominating possession in the middle of the park.
Jürgen Klopp’s men are undoubtedly still in their transitional period and, even with Van Dijk’s presence, have still conceded some sloppy goals this year, paying homage to the fact that there is still work to be done. Alexis Mac Allister has shown glimpses of promise playing in an unnatural position, but until the Reds acquire a natural number 6, they could struggle to really push Man City like they have in previous years.
Nevertheless, Liverpool have managed to defy many pre-season expectations with a very promising start, with the Reds currently sat in second place, just a point behind the league leaders Manchester City. Many Liverpool fans will also believe that the significant VAR error in their away fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium may have cost them an invincible start to the season.
Though leading the pack, Manchester City have not looked as dominant as they did in their treble-winning campaign last season, having already lost to Wolves and Arsenal, and having recently drawn 4-4 with an underperforming Chelsea side. Despite Erling Haaland’s best efforts at continuing his stellar form from last year, the lengthy absence of star-player Kevin De Bruyne could prove costly for the Sky Blues further down the line.
In the words of Sir Alex Ferguson, “attack wins you games, defence wins you titles.” Should Liverpool make the right signings in January, or slowly reintegrate 19-year-old Stefan Bajčetić back into the number 6 role that he excelled in towards the back end of last season, and provided that Virgil van Dijk stays fit, his presence could encourage the Reds into what could shape up to be another very tight title-challenge with the treble winners.
With Liverpool playing Man City on Saturday, we could get a glimpse into the future of this year’s title race, and what is in store for both teams this season.