Virgil van Dijk is one of the best defenders in the Premier League by some distance.

The fact Van Dijk has chosen to extend his Anfield stay by a further two years shows how important he is to the club, as well as where things are likely to be headed in the near future.

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And, after Arne Slot rested Liverpool’s captain in their 3-2 defeat against Brighton on Monday, it was evident how much they missed him leading their defensive line, even though Ibrahima Konate had an opportunity to prove his worth.

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In fact, Van Dijk’s absence was so obvious that Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher compared him with a Premier League great while also making a jibe at Konate’s less-than-impressive performance.

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Indeed, with the way things ended on Monday night, that’s the point Carragher has stated himself.

On the latest episode of the Stick to Football podcast, the former defender said: “Konate, I said before the [Brighton] game that I was really interested to watch [him].”

“Liverpool have had a lot of centre-backs who have played alongside Van Dijk, and people always say that [partnership] is the best in the league, and I always think, is it?

“Or is he [Van Dijk] just that good that the fella next to him looks [good].

“That’s what great centre-backs do, they make other people look good, that’s how I think of Tony Adams or John Terry, the great centre-backs.”

It would be silly for Liverpool to allow another fiasco similar to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s contract situation to occur in the 2025-26 season, but it does feel like the Frenchman needs to step things up a gear or two when called upon.



Statistic per Premier League gameIbrahima KonateVirgil van DijkInterceptions0.51.5Tackles1.31.0Balls recovered3.03.1Dribbled past0.30.3Clearances4.15.1A comparison of Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk’s defensive statistics in the Premier League in the 2024/25 season from Sofascore.

Because, as much as Van Dijk would likely want to, he can’t play each game for Liverpool, as there are too many in a season for that to happen.

However, if he wants to be seen as the next leader of Liverpool’s back four, he needs to step things up a gear or two as a matter of urgency.