The Liverpool skipper has assumed even more responsibility this season as captain of the group, even though he has been leading without the armband for many years now.

Speaking to the club’s website ahead of the cup tie, the 32-year-old Dutchman has highlighted the importance of having a squad full of players ready to make a difference – and giving some big praise to Joel Matip.

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“One of the biggest lessons of the last few weeks has been the importance of having a squad made up of players who are ready to make a contribution whether they start games or come on off the bench,” van Dijk began.

“It was exactly the same on Sunday with Joel Matip coming back into the starting line-up and showing all of the experience and quality that makes him such a top defender.”

However, on his day is undoubtedly a ‘top defender’ as the Liverpool skipper puts it, and he has featured a lot more in recent weeks.

Joel Matip has been at Liverpool since 2016 and has seen a lot of change in the club during his stay at Anfield.