"Van Dijk's has to go and shut a few people up": Ahead of Liverpool-Man City
The Dutchman hasn't been on his best shape, but this England legend thinks he'll bounce back in the biggest match of the season
After Liverpool's hesitant start to the new, many have called Jurgen Klopp as one of main responsible, but he's far from the sole name on the list, with some pointing out that Virgil van Dijk has struggled to show the same form that he had during the Reds' Premier League-winning season in 2019-20. However, according to Rio Ferdinand the Anfield side would do wrong to leave him out of their clash with Manchester City.
Rio Ferdinand has supported Virgil van Dijk ahead of the Reds' clash with Manchester City
The Reds were one of the favourites to win the Premier League, but they started this season with the wrong foot and are now in 10th place, 14 points behind Arsenal and 13 points behind Pep Guardiola's team. However, the former Manchester United centreback also thinks that Jurgen Klopp's underperforming players, like Virgil van Dijk, may play themselves back into shape in this matchup.
"It's a great opportunity", he told UK television network BT Sport. Ferdinand, who played over 500 Premier League games with Manchester United, Leeds United, West Ham and Queens Park Rangers, insisted that it could be a big game for Van Dijk to make a return: "I used to look at these games if we were a bit out of form and going into a big game you should look at it as this is the perfect game".
Ferdinand thinks that far from hiding from a high profile match, this is where Van Dijk will show his quality: "This is what Liverpool should be thinking. This is Virgil van Dijk's time to go and shut a few people up. People are questioning him now but he was almost the invincible at one point.
Van Dijk has to step up if Liverpool are to get back to the race
"The best player on plant earth right now, the most in-form right now, Haaland is coming to town, 'I'm going to put it on him, shut it up'", explained Rio Ferdinand, who thinks Virgil van Dijk will have in the Norwegian his big rival for the match, "All of a sudden the dynamic changes and the confidence grows, and everyone is back on the path".
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