Gary Neville told Super Sunday on Sky Sports that Manchester City ‘knew’ Liverpool wouldn’t be able to challenge for the title once Virgil Van Dijk got injured.
The former right-back credited Liverpool for securing third place on Sunday, but made it clear that there ‘shouldn’t be that big a drop’ just because one player got injured.
It wasn’t just Van Dijk’s injury that troubled Liverpool, but Joe Gomez soon followed suit and then Joel Matip joined his defensive partners in the treatment room.
Once the drama of the 2020/21 season was over, Neville shared his thoughts on Liverpool and the impacts Van Dijk’s absence had on them.
“Losing Van Dijk, it had a massive impact on Liverpool,” said Neville. “It also had a massive impact on Manchester City because they knew Liverpool couldn’t come back from it. They were out.
“Once they knew Liverpool were out of it then that was it because there was no one else was equipped to compete with them. So, for Liverpool to come back from those six home defeats. On the bounce was it? I mean wow.
“Absolutely, they will challenge next season. They would have challenged this season if Van Dijk had stayed fit. A team shouldn’t fall apart to the extent that they did, off the back of one player getting injured, so I think they need to deal with that. It shouldn’t be that big a drop.
“But he’s such an important player. He’s a huge player for them. With him having the summer off now it has been announced he’s not going to the Euros.”
Whilst the European Championships won’t see one of the great defenders grace its tournament, those on Merseyside will be glad to see their cool-headed Dutchman rest over the summer.
And then Liverpool can push on again next season and it will be interesting to see what happens to the likes of Nat Phillips.
Someone like the Englishman deserves a shot at first-team football next season, alongside Van Dijk, and even if Gomez returns.
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