"He’s all day in the gym" - Alexis Mac Allister names two Liverpool players who are stronger than Virgil van Dijk 

Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister recently snubbed Virgil van Dijk when asked who is the strongest player in the Reds' dressing room.

Virgil van Dijk has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in Premier League history in recent years. Standing at 6ft 5in, the Dutchman is renowned for his physicality, speed, and defensive prowess.

Many thought he would naturally be the strongest Liverpool player. However, Mac Allister named the Reds duo of Mohamed Salah and Kostas Tsimikas instead.

The £35 million signing from Brighton & Hove Albion spoke to GOAL and said (via Daily Mirror):

“I would say Mo, or [Kostas] Tsimikas."

When asked to explain his reason for Salah, Mac Allister replied:

“Oh, yes. He’s all day in the gym, so he is very strong.”

Salah has shown off his ripped physique on numerous occasions over the years during various goal celebrations. Hence, it comes as no surprise to see the 31-year-old being mentioned.

The Egyptian King dedicates a lot of time to ensuring he is always in the best possible shape, enabling him to succeed on the pitch. He is also Liverpool's fifth-highest goal-scorer in the club's history, having scored 188 goals and provided 83 assists in 310 appearances across all competitions.

Kostas Tsimikas is a surprise inclusion. The Greek international is currently the Reds' backup at left-back to Andy Robertson. He has made 62 appearances since joining the club in 2020, providing 12 assists in total.

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Peter Schmeichel gives blunt verdict on Liverpool's title chances this season

Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel believes Liverpool aren't ready to compete with Manchester City for the Premier League title due to their vulnerabilities in defense.

The Reds pulled off an impressive 3-1 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux on Saturday (September 16). Their victory took them to third in the standings with 13 points after five games, two points behind league leaders Manchester City, who have had a perfect start to the season.

However, Schmeichel believes City's back four are superior. He said (via ECHO):

"I don't think [Liverpool] can [keep up with Manchester City]. I don't think [they can]. If there is a team, it might be Arsenal - but that is a big might."

Schmeichel added:

"I don't think anyone can stay with Man City, we were just looking at that line-up today and you look at their back four, how are you gonna compete with that? [Kyle] Walker, [Ruben] Dias, [Manuel] Akanji and Gvardiol - how can you compete with that?"

"You can't match it, and Liverpool for sure can't match it. I agree with you [Steve McManaman], they are very, very vulnerable at the back."

The Reds have made a strong start to the 2023-24 season despite Schmeichel's apprehension about their title credentials. They next face LASK in the Europa League on Thursday, September 21, before hosting West Ham United in the league on Sunday, September 24.