Liverpool’s April slump has seen a number of their first-team regulars come in for criticism, and not even the club captain has been spared.
Virgil van Dijk has been largely excellent during his first season as skipper at Anfield, although one reporter thinks the Dutchman has looked ‘shaky’ in recent weeks.
Speaking on The Football Show on Sky Sports, Joe Shread stated of Jurgen Klopp’s side: “They’ve gone cold in attack and they’ve also gone cold in defence. They’ve only kept two clean sheets in all competitions since February.
“I know people are saying that Virgil van Dijk is back to his best. he has had a good season, but I think he’s been a little bit shaky in recent games. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was really dominating him and Ibrahima Konate last night.”
Liverpool have given up some truly dreadful goals of late, although Van Dijk’s overall performances haven’t declined as much as some of his teammates.
However, as Shread justifiably stated, he was nowhere near his best last night, being all too easily beaten in the air for Calvert-Lewin to double Everton’s lead from a corner kick and losing the ball 15 times in total at Goodison Park (Sofascore).
To be fair to the captain, he’s spoken very candidly and truthfully after some of our recent nightmarish results and performances, refusing to look for any excuses during the Reds’ fallow period in April.
Let’s hope that Van Dijk and his teammates will finish out the season – and Klopp’s Anfield tenure – on a high, even if it isn’t enough to secure the Premier League title.
“They’ve all gone cold at just the wrong time” 🥶
Have Liverpool’s forwards going ‘off the boil’ at a crucial time cost them in this title race? 🤔
