‘He just stands there and watches’


Monday, October 31, 2022 at 08:42• Jordi Tomasowa

That Liverpool lost 1-2 at Anfield on Saturday against Leeds United, have the Reds according to Steve Nicol due to the poor defense of Virgil van Dijk. The club icon believes that the mandekker did not go unpunished with the late winning goal of Crysensio Summerville. “He just stands there and watches,” said Nicol.

With the home defeat, a more than noteworthy statistic by Van Dijk came to an end last Saturday. Liverpool have never been beaten at home in a Premier League match when the 31-year-old stopper took part. Summerville ended that streak on Saturday by giving Leeds United an 89th minute win over Anfield. Van Dijk lasted for seventy matches. Van Dijk in particular has to suffer after Liverpool’s fourth league defeat in this season.

“That last goal is Van Dijk’s fault,” Nicol told the Liverpool Echo. The club icon states that the captain of the Dutch national team could have done more to prevent the winning goal. “With that last goal, Van Dijk doesn’t move his feet at all. Summerville gets the ball and actually makes two moves and Van Dijk doesn’t react to a single move. I understand that things are moving fast and Van Dijk has to react quickly, but he doesn’t move at all. Not even his body. He stands there and watches it.”

According to Nicol, Liverpool are currently not defending as a team. “A few years ago, the whole Liverpool defense would lock Leeds in their own half. Two years ago they defended as a team. Today Liverpool is not defending. Not in the front, not in midfield and not in the back.” The team of manager Jürgen Klopp has disappointed this season, especially in competition. Liverpool also lost more than a week ago on a visit to the last player Nottingham Forest (1-0) and is currently in ninth place in the Premier League. They are now 15 points behind leaders Arsenal.


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