Steve Nicol is worried that Virgil van Dijk will never be able to recover his old Liverpool form.
In 2020, the 32-year-old, then considered the best defender in world football, suffered a serious knee injury following a reckless challenge from Everton’s Jordan Pickford.
Since that moment, Liverpool legend Steve Nicol thinks that Virgil van Dijk has gone from a ‘complete’ and ‘confident’ player to someone who is now looking for others to help him, as he told ESPN.
Last season, Jurgen Klopp’s side missed out on Champions League football, with the club’s defensive form, or lack of it, playing a huge part in that decline.
Virgil van Dijk was a regular member of Liverpool’s backline, as he struggled alongside the rest of his teammates.
That in different form has continued into the current campaign. Two mistakes against Bournemouth and Brighton, which led to goals, including his sending-off against Newcastle United.
Virgil van Dijk’s Liverpool form
“Right now, this guy has gone from the most complete and confident centre-back in world football,” said Nicol. “To post-injury being unsure. That really sounds simple, but it really sums him up.
“When you are in your prime. Your decision-making is spot on and your starting positions are spot on. And, for a centre-back, that’s what it’s all about.
“Since Virgil van Dijk has come back from his knee injury. He has been making decisions and his starting positions have been off. He has to play into his confidence. That’s the only way he is going to do it. By playing and performing until he gets back to a position where he was before.
“But, as we speak, I am not 100% sure he is going to do that because he has gone from the guy in charge to the guy who is looking for somebody else to help him. That’s a large drop from where he is.”
New-look Liverpool
Whilst there haven’t been changes to Liverpool’s backline, there are new and fresh faces in the midfield.
This is Liverpool 2.0 trying to replicate the team of Klopp’s early reign that won the lot, including Champions League and Premier League glory.
Van Dijk played a huge part in that and now fans will be hoping, with fresh legs around him, he can go again, even if others have huge doubts.
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