49erssports.com - Manchester United legend Jaap Stam has defended Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, saying he is still one of the best defenders in the world despite his recent slump.
Van Dijk is an important pillar of Liverpool. He is an irreplaceable figure at the back line of Jurgen Klopp's team.
The presence of Van Dijk himself was able to change Liverpool's game. The Reds' defense became very strong.
Van Dijk also played an important role in Liverpool's success in winning a number of titles in recent years. Including the Champions League and Premier League titles.
Van Dijk's Performance Declines
This 2022/2023 season, Liverpool's performance has decreased. The same thing was followed by the appearance of a number of his players, including Virgil van Dijk.
Even Van Dijk has made at least two penalty errors so far. Even though he had rarely made mistakes before.
From there, many consider Van Dijk's performance to decline. There are also those who say that the 31-year-old defender's appearance is no longer the same because of a knee injury he has experienced.
Van Dijk is still the best
Jaap Stam then defended Virgil van Dijk. He says Van Dijk is still one of the best defenders in the world at the moment.
Stam said that if Van Dijk's performance had decreased then it was a natural thing. He said it was difficult for a player to be stable at the highest level for several seasons.
“Virgil is one of the best defenders in the world. Everyone knows that too. It's still the best. I think if you look at every player at a very high level, every player has moments where he is not as sure as before," he told the Liverpool Echo.
"It's not like he's playing badly, the only thing is if you play at that level for a few seasons and then there's a period where it doesn't happen or maybe he makes a different decision, people think what's up with him. Is he still at the same level?"
"That's how it is in football. We all need to know that too," said Stam.
Liverpool Match Schedule
Next Liverpool Match Schedule:
Match: Liverpool vs Brighton
Stadium: Anfield
Day: Saturday, October 1, 2022
Kickoff: 21.00