Former Liverpool player Emile Heskey believes that Virgil van Dijk marshals the Liverpool defence like Jamie Carragher used to during his playing days.
Van Dijk joined Liverpool last January on a world record transfer fee of £75 million. He has since become a integral player for Liverpool. This season, Liverpool have conceded less goals than any other club in the Premier League so far and van Dijk’s presence in central defence is a massive contributing factor for that.
Heskey believes that van Dijk is the kind of leader Liverpool last had in Carragher. The former England international said, “When you look at Van Dijk and when you look at Liverpool, in essence they haven’t had that leader I would go as far back as Jamie Carragher. Someone who really commands a defence. Someone who really stands out and is counted for. Someone who is marshalling people around. Now Van Dijk has come in and he seems to be that man.
He’s a great defender, he’s quick, he’s good in the air, he barks out orders. So what more do you need? It seems that everyone who plays alongside him [he] always brings out the best in them as well.”
Heskey also had praise for Fabinho who has now become a regular under Jurgen Klopp after spending the start of the season on the bench. The 41-year old said, “A young lad coming from abroad, coming into the English game, coming into the Premier League and the frenetic way that we play – it’s difficult for them. So you have to give these players time. He seems to be enjoying it now and coming into his own. So the squad is bigger, the squad is more compact now and they know what they are capable of doing. So these games coming up will be good for them.”
The former England international that Liverpool’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich will produce ‘fireworks’. He said, “Fireworks, always… but a bit of a chess game as well. You don’t want to lose that [two-legged] game. You want to go in and I’m guessing the tactics have got to be right and when you’ve got Salah, Mane and Firmino up front then you have always got a chance.”
Before playing Bayern in the Champions League, Liverpool have to play three matches. The first of these is against Leicester City next Wednesday.
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