"His passing and distribution was Bobby Charlton-esque" - Pundit lauds Liverpool superstar after 1-1 Man City draw

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker-turned-television-pundit Garth Crooks has lauded Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk following his stellar performance against Manchester City. The Dutchman was rock-solid at the back for Jurgen Klopp's side keeping the likes of Erling Haaland and Phil Foden silent.

Liverpool only managed to secure a 1-1 draw against Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, March 10 and were probably unlucky not to get all three points. They dominated the Cityzens for the majority of the game and Van Dijk was at the heart of it.

Garth Crooks highlighted how impressive the Netherlands captain was not only defensively but also with the ball at his feet. He also compared Van Dijk's passing range to that of England legend Sir Bobby Charlton. Crooks wrote in his BBC column, as quoted by The Boot Room:

“What a performance by Van Dijk in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City. It started with a superb interception by the Liverpool skipper when Phil Foden was about to receive the ball in the game’s opening exchanges. Then a cross from Bernardo Silva was destined for the head of Erling Haaland and looked as though it had beaten Van Dijk, but the Netherlands defender coolly headed the ball out of play."

Crooks added:

“His general passing and distribution of the ball was [Bobby] Charlton-esque, while Van Dijk never gave Haaland a kick throughout the match. However, the sliding tackle on Foden in the second half, as the City forward was about to instigate a counter-attack, was telling. Firstly, because you seldom see Van Dijk on his backside, but the occasion demanded it and the quality of the tackle brought a respectful pat on the back from Foden. This was a Van Dijk masterclass.”

Van Dijk has cemented his status as one of the best defenders to have graced the Premier League. Since his £75 million switch from Southampton to Liverpool, he has been pivotal behind everything the Reds have achieved.

An ACL injury cast doubts whether Van Dijk would remain one of the best defenders in the world but he has come back strong from the setback. The 32-year-old has been exceptional this season for Liverpool as they have already won the EFL Cup and are competing for three more trophies.

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Pundit hails Liverpool youngster for keeping Erling Haaland silent

Former Middlesbrough midfielder-turned-television-pundit Robbie Mustoe has lavished praise on Liverpool youngster Jarell Quansah following his exceptional showing against Manchester City. The 21-year-old was called upon by Jurgen Klopp to partner Virgil van Dijk in the absence of Ibrahima Konate, and he did not let his manager down.

Quansah was superb at the back as Liverpool secured a 1-1 draw against Pep Guardiola's side. Mustoe insisted while many other Liverpool youngsters have earned rave reviews for their performances this season, Quansah has gone under the radar. He said:

“Even during and after – and maybe we’re guilty of that – not a lot of talk about Jarell Quansah. A lot of talk about Erling Haaland not getting a kick in the game. And as you said, there were a couple of moments where van Dijk stood out, the one on one defending with Haaland."

The former Middlesbrough midfielder added:

"But Quansah, and I remember Jurgen Klopp, the reporter asking questions about how proud he is of the young players and he mentioned Conor Bradley and maybe Elliott and a couple of the others. And Klopp said, what about Quansah? Nobody talks about Quansah. And I think he is sneaky blooming good."

Quansah is enjoying a solid breakthrough season and looks like a top-class centre-back in the making. Labelled as 'Virgil 2.0', the defender has made 23 senior appearances this season and has caught the eye, particularly with his composure and passing ability.