Jamie Carragher has claimed that Virgil van Dijk looked ‘dangerous all night’ as Liverpool recorded a 2-1 win over Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The former defender highlighted how Jurgen Klopp’s side had ‘power’ and ‘strength’ from set-pieces and added that played a major part in them picking up three points against the Dutch champions, as he told CBS Sports (13/09/22 at 10:25 pm).
It was a much-changed result and performance from the Reds, who went into last night’s game on the back of getting thrashed by Napoli in their Champions League opener last week.
There was huge pressure on the shoulders of the players, with many being questioned, including those at the heart of the defence.
Well, Joe Gomez, who was hooked off at half-time in Naples, was replaced by Matip against Ajax and he repaid his manager by scoring the winning goal.
Carragher spoke about Liverpool’s threat from dead-ball situations and how they deserved to come away with a much-needed three points.
“Liverpool always look dangerous on set-pieces, of course, we all know how they won the game,” said Carragher.
“But everything is fast, energetic and the keeper is making saves. People flying everywhere and they were just lacking that composure. And they always looked dangerous on set-pieces – the way Liverpool played, they did deserve to win the game.
“It was Virgil van Dijk, who looked really dangerous all night and Joel Matip is a huge presence. You think of how many goals Liverpool got last season through Konate from set-pieces, certainly in the Champions League.
“The power and strength from set-pieces was a huge weapon for them all night.”
VAN DIJK AND MATIP LIVERPOOL’S BEST PARTNERSHIP
Klopp has chopped and changed his side quite a lot this season, from injuries to key players and a lack of form for others all playing its part.
But it’s pretty clear that his best centre-back partnership is Matip and Van Dijk, with the injured Ibrahima Konate being the back-up option to those two.
That’s not helpful to Joe Gomez, whose form since returning back from a long-term injury, hasn’t hit the heights he was once reaching.
Gomez did recently sign a new contract on Merseyside, but he needs the regular minutes in order to find that form again, but unfortunately for him, he needs to probably struggle to get that form back and you can’t do that in Liverpool colours.
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