Liverpool star Reds missed hugely last term says he's feeling 100% 🔋
Worrying news for the club's opponents!
Much has been made of Liverpool’s 1-1 draw at Anfield to a supremely stubborn Chelsea outfit.
Yet it seems some have quickly forgotten how Jurgen Klopp’s men had the Blues on the back foot right from the off.
A moment of brilliance from Kai Havertz was all it took to undo the Reds’ hard work, with their attacking momentum suddenly draining into the turf.
An error of judgement from Reece James brought us level, though some supporters were quick to pan the club for its failure to capitalise on the numerical advantage provided by the fullback’s sending off.
When all is said and done, however, there is a good reason as to why Thomas Tuchel’s men secured the Champions League trophy against a side as capable as Manchester City.
Call it first final jitters for the Cityzens, but Klopp’s compatriot has coached Chelsea into a formidable outfit in a short space of time.
Effectively keeping out Liverpool’s frontline is a far from simple task but Tuchel’s containment tactics proved suffice for the challenge.
As such, we shouldn’t be quick to dismiss the value of a point, even if it is two points lost at Anfield.
Somewhat overlooked beyond the result and the red card decision, it says a great deal that Virgil van Dijk’s battle with summer signing Romelu Lukaku was reduced to little more than a footnote.
Still yet, then, to have returned to his brilliant best after recovering from a season-ending injury last term, the No.4 largely counteracted the threat posed by the towering former Inter Milan hitman.
“You have to still put him [Van Dijk] straight into the team because even at 70% he’s still probably the best centre-back in the league,” ex-Liverpool defender, Jose Enrique, declared prior to the mouthwatering face-off between the two Premier League outfits.
To be completely fair to Chelsea and Lukaku, time likewise has to be granted for the Belgian international to fully adjust to his familiar, yet new, surroundings, not to mention unique tactical demands.
Nonetheless, with Van Dijk supposedly at less than 100% - at whatever stage of his recovery (be it between 70%-99%) fans deemed him to be at - the ex-Southampton ace’s handling of the threat at hand was more than impressive.
As such, a fully fit and raring to go Van Dijk would have to be considered an even more terrifying prospect for opposition forwards. History would certainly back that up, with some space in the media being devoted once just to Arsenal star Nicolas Pépé’s success in a dribble, being the first player to get past the centre-half since March 2018.
Has there ever been anything close to as much of a fuss made before about a Premier League defender in a similar context?
If we are to take the No.4’s recent comments whilst away with the Dutch national side as gospel, there’s already a sign that Liverpool could soon be getting back their star defensive force in all his glory.
“I need matches, and I get them now at Liverpool,” the Dutchman told Algemeen Dagblad.
“I have not made any agreements with the club about how much I will play in the national team, but I have talked about it with the coach.
“We keep in good contact this week. I am especially excited about it.”
Given Liverpool’s difficult relationship with the international break, there’s no doubt that the coaching staff will be crossing their fingers at all times for the club’s internationals to return all in one piece - particularly Van Dijk.
If the defender feels ‘back to his old self’ as he informed the aforementioned Dutch outlet, it can only mean very good news for Jurgen Klopp’s men when their colossal centre-back returns to Premier League action on 12th September against Leeds United.
His absence last term was a significant contributor to Liverpool’s form nosediving beyond the turn of the year. Having him not only available for selection but back in the kind of form that catapulted the club from top four contenders to title-winners will be critical for helping fans get over their transfer window blues. It may even help prove that new signings won’t be the difference between major honours or another trophy-less campaign this year - time and injuries will tell on that front.
Going back to our top-flight season, seven points from our opening three fixtures is far from dire. This is especially the case when you consider the fact that we lost six points at L4 from the corresponding ties last term - an added four points compared to our tally from the 2020/21 campaign is a pleasing bonus.
Add a fully fit Van Dijk into the mix and it’s a worrying prospect for Liverpool’s opposition, regardless of whether or not they are as unsuspecting of the Reds’ prowess as various neutrals and pundits appear to be.
If you’re of fan of this kind of content, all completely ad-free, then feel free to hit the subscribe button below and become an EOTK Insider. Dig into exclusive tidbits reserved only for our subscribers!