Virgil van Dijk gives verdict on Liverpool FC defence ahead of Arsenal clash
Liverpool FC star Virgil van Dijk gives his verdict on the Reds defence so far this season
Virgil van Dijk has rejected the suggestion that Liverpool FC have adopted a higher line this season which has led to defensive problems for the Reds.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have conceded four times in three competitive games at the start of the 2019-20 season to raise eyebrows about their defence.
Liverpool FC finished with the best defensive record in the Premier League last term after the Merseyside outfit conceded just 22 times in 38 games.
The Reds suffered a blow in their 4-1 win over Norwich City in their season opener after Alisson Becker suffered a calf strain to keep him sidelined for four to six weeks.
His replacement Adrian made a mistake in a 2-1 win at Southampton last weekend after the Spanish shot-stopper’s poor pass rebounded off Danny Ings into the net.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joe Gomez have both struggled in their Premier League fixtures so far.
Asked about whether Liverpool FC are purposefully playing higher up the pitch, Van Dijk told The Times:
“In certain situations it looks like it [a high line] but I don’t think we’re doing things differently.
“There were certain goals disallowed and it looks then that we’re not defending pretty well.”
Van Dijk rubbished the suggestion that the Reds were adopting a high line due to the introduction of VAR.
“No, no! It’s nothing to do with VAR,” Van Dijk added. “The new rule is we have to play on until the whistle, and sometimes it looks a bit chaotic, especially when we have a high line, and the player is offside and we still play on.”
Liverpool FC won the Champions League title last season thanks to a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Madrid showpiece.
The Reds finished in second place in the table.
