Virgil van Dijk’s season has had to be judged in the context of a Liverpool side that has been far too open, but Arne Slot has made it clear how impressive his captain’s durability has been.
The Dutchman has played every Premier League minute so far this season, with Sunday’s final game against Brentford offering him the chance to complete an extraordinary ever-present league campaign.
Speaking at his pre-Brentford press conference at the AXA Training Centre, via Liverpool FC on YouTube, Slot was asked about Van Dijk’s remarkable availability.
The 47-year-old said: “Playing every game in a league like this is already a great accomplishment, let alone if you are of his age.”
That line matters because our No.4 is 34, has carried a huge defensive workload and has still been the player Liverpool have leaned on most during a chaotic campaign.
This hasn’t been the imperious Van Dijk of 2019, because Liverpool haven’t been the controlled machine they were under Jurgen Klopp at their peak, but the Netherlands international has still been one of the few players to emerge with real credit.
He has started all 37 league games, played 3,330 Premier League minutes, scored six goals and won 74% of his aerial duels (via Sofascore), which shows how important his presence remains at both ends of the pitch.
David Lynch recently argued that Van Dijk’s defensive performance this season has been “incredible”, even if the wider team structure has too often left the centre-back exposed.
That feels like the key point, because a defender of his quality can still be made to look vulnerable when the midfield offers too little protection and the team keeps allowing games to become stretched.
During the Aston Villa defeat, Van Dijk overtook Jamie Carragher’s long-standing outfield minutes record from 2007/08, which underlines just how heavily he has been used.
With Andy Robertson and Mo Salah preparing for their final Anfield appearances, Van Dijk’s continued presence next season feels even more important.
Liverpool need new legs, better balance and a far stronger defensive unit, but keeping our captain fit and firing remains central to whatever Slot wants this team to become.
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Arne is trying to get Virgil on his side because he has lost a number of key players and most of the fans. If this doesn’t work, he will try to push out any players who defy his reign. If Anre has his way, the LFC kit, including the supporting staff uniforms, will all be orange.
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