Virigil van Dijk enjoyed a glass of red wine on Saturday evening to toast his 300th performance for Liverpool.
It was again a vintage display of the Dutchman in Red, while the side of Arne Slot few signs continued to show the bottling of their lead in the Premier League title race. Although Van Dijk is the 'Rolls Royce' defender in the team who is six points for Arsenal at the top of the table and has played a game less, each team needs an engine.
That is the midfield of Slot's machine. Although so much was made of Liverpool who made non -profitable signing sessions last summer, it was the acquisitions of Jurgen Klopp the previous year that have been crucial in the title costs of this season.
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai were again excellent in different midfield rolls in a competition that opened the latter before Mo Salah and saw a double from Ipswich. But it was another game in which the countryman of Van Dijk Ryan Gravenberch was just as crucial as the goal scorers.
It was a year ago yesterday that Klopp shocked the world by announcing that he would leave the club at the end of the season. It would turn out to be a huge moment for Gravenberch.
Not that he knew it then, but Klopp's successor Slot would discover the best position of the former Ajax and Bayern Munich player as a no. 6 after he struggled for minutes in his debut campaign. “Last year he didn't play much, but we could all see his quality,” said Van Dijk. “He kept his head down and worked his socks off.
“This year he deserved confidence and gained the confidence to show his quality to show the three or four days. I am very impressed by him. Not only on the field, but also outside the field. He is still a young boy, but he grows in a man.
“The way in which he approaches the game on and next to the field is very important to be a world -class player. In my eyes, the consistency he has shown, he is definitely a world -class player and he can only get better. He just has to keep his head down, continue to work, keep enjoying it, he is in a very good place. He learns from performances in games. He has been almost flawless all season. “
Szoboszlai opened the score with a nice finish for the impressive Gakpo cross for Salah to make the second. Gakpo then received the third and fourth on both sides of the break with Gravenberch and provided a crucial pass in the run -up to the first goal of his countryman.
But it is not only his passage range that impresses, no other midfielder has made more interceptions this season. Just like Van Dijk, Gravenberch is a player who rarely goes to the ground but wins his duels on his feet. “I am proud of him and I am not only happy for him, but also for us because he is a vital player for how we want to play and how we want to be successful,” said Van Dijk.
Jacob Greaves received a late comfort for the wrestling of Ipswich, but this was another day that takes hope for the rivals of Liverpool that every slip will come. With goals on attack, firmness at the back and a midfield engine that is roaring, Van Dijk can exchange the Claret for Champagne in May.
And a second title can enter his Anfield height points, but he will not choose his favorite Liverpool moment until he has finished making it. Van Dijk, 33, started with 297 of the 300 performances he made for Liverpool, won 209, held 119 clean sheets and admitted only 277 – less than a goal per match – while he himself scored 25. He said: “Very proud. My family and my children were here today, so it was a special day. Good victory, so now we focus on the next one.
“One day there will be a day when I think about everything that happened to me in Liverpool. Then I will think carefully about what stands out. Hopefully there are still good things coming. “
He has the highest profit percentage of every Liverpool player to get 300 games. Van Dijk said: “It shows that I was doing very well so far. It is up to all involved – the players, the managers, the fans. It is a good statistics to have. We will continue.”
The Dutchman has won the Premier League, Champions League, a FA Cup, two competition cups, a club world cup and Super Cup in his seven years at the club. So with his contract that expires this summer, the obvious question is how many games he has in red to keep making memories.
He added: “I have no idea. How many are left this season? Hopefully they are guaranteed and then I don't know what the future will bring.”
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