Danny Murphy will have ruffled some feathers with his defense of FSG and the level of support Jurgen Klopp received in the summer, though perhaps his latest comments on Virgil van Dijk will prove less divisive.
The former Rojo suggested that the Dutchman, while still “a fantastic player”, was not playing at the level fans expected from the colossal number 4, possibly due to his still being injured.
“It looks like Virgil is maybe messing with something or protecting himself a bit because it’s not what it was,” the Englishman told talkSPORT. “He’s still a great player, but he’s not at the level we were talking about two seasons ago.”
The 31-year-old was at fault for a penalty incurred during a 2-2 draw with Fulham in the Merseysiders’ first league clash and has struggled at times to deliver the sort of world class performances that separate him from much. (if not all) of the best centre-backs in the world.
READ MORE: Danny Murphy sends direct message to FSG departure squad on Liverpool summer transfers
The good news is that it’s not an endemic concern specifically for the defender, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Fabinho, to list two examples, clearly off their game this term, suggesting Van Dijk can surely rediscover his best. . .
Indeed, both were guilty of a lackluster defense of Napoli’s goal that doubled the lead in the first half hour of action at the Stadio Armando Diego Maradona as Luciano Spalletti’s men tore Jurgen Klopp’s men to pieces in the Champions League.
If ever there were fans of the game who acted as catalysts for an improved mindset in the rest of the season, fans will be crossing their fingers in the hope that it will be our humiliation in Italy.
#Ep58 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Qualifying Liverpool’s UCL group, making a new signing… and more!
