‘Stepped up’… Martin Skrtel says 32-year-old Liverpool player has proven everyone wrong this season
So far, Liverpool’s season has been largely a redemption story.
After such a disappointing season in 2022/23, a lot needed to happen at Anfield. The heat was on, and some speculated that Jurgen Klopp was on borrowed time.
Virgil van Dijk, the standout centre-back, was also under intense examination. The Dutchman had been chastised for poor performances for both club and country, and at 31, he appeared to be past his prime.
Van Dijk, on the other hand, has mocked those assessments since the season began. Since the start of this season, the defender has been nothing short of fantastic. Praise has rightfully come his way, with former Liverpool centre-back Martin Skrtel now joining in during an interview with The Athletic.
“When you lose players like [Jordan] Henderson and [James] Milner, they are always going to be big misses, not only on the pitch but off it too,” Skrtel said. “However, Virgil has really stepped up. He is the primary man and leader. I believe the captaincy has benefitted him. You can see it in his performances. He is back to his best.
“After that catastrophic injury, people questioned him, but the way he’s played this season has showed he still has so lot to contribute. He is among the best center backs in the world. With his consistency, I’d want to see him win individual and team trophies.”
Skrtel applauds Van Dijk.
Looking back, you have to wonder why anyone questioned Van Dijk at all. Yes, he wasn’t in top form, but neither was the entire team.
With legs beginning to go all around him, Virgil was lumped in with the bunch that appeared to have outstayed their welcome.
But with new life surrounding him, Liverpool’s No.4 has risen from the ashes.
There is little doubt that Van Dijk is the best defender of his generation. Rival fans can disagree all they want, but none can match the Dutch international’s performance since joining Liverpool.
As a result, he was bound to recover in the end. He’s just too good not to have.
Even yet, his resurrection has been extremely impressive. We’d go so far as to suggest that Van Dijk has a strong case for Premier League Player of the Season thus far.
As Skrtel says, wearing the captain’s armband seemed to have propelled him to new heights.
If Van Dijk maintains his current level of play and leads Liverpool to the Premier League title, he will undoubtedly be considered for individual awards.
The only uncertainty about Virgil is what his future ambitions are with the Reds. With Klopp on his way out, there have been suggestions that his captain may follow suit. Fans may have reluctantly accepted that outcome last year. But not now. Sign this contract, Virg!
