Garth Crooks has noted on BBC Sport that Liverpool central defender Virgil van Dijk never complains to the referee.
The former Tottenham Hotspur forward has raved about Van Dijk and has praised him for his performance during Liverpool’s win against Aston Villa at the weekend.
Crooks has included the former Celtic central defender in his BBC Premier League Team of the Week.
The BBC Sport pundit has outlined the qualities of the 30-year-old Liverpool defender.
Praise for Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk
Crooks said about Van Dijk: “One of the many reasons I think Van Dijk is the best defender in the world is because he does difficult things with the minimum of fuss.
“He wins headers when strikers are backing into him and doesn’t complain to the referee.
“He wins tackles he has no right to win and then plays one touch to set the attack in motion. It’s as if he has no wish to attract attention to himself.”
Class defender
Van Dijk is one of the best central defenders in the Premier League who oozes class.
As Crooks notes, the Liverpool star simply gets on with the job.
Van Dijk keeps his cool at all times, does not moan or complain a lot, and is very consistent.
The former Southampton star is brilliant on the ball, can play out from the back, is quick, and is great in the air.
What is remarkable about Van Dijk is that he is at the top of his game even at 30.
Now, many would suggest that players tend to go downhill when they hit 30, but not Van Dijk.
In our opinion, Van Dijk will be a big player for Liverpool if they are to win the Premier League and the Champions League this season.
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