“You are fantastic" - Brazilian legend Ronaldinho lauds Liverpool superstar Virgil van Dijk

Former Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho has heaped praise on Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk for his performance against Crystal Palace in the Reds' 3-1 win in the Premier League.

Van Dijk was instrumental in both attack and defence during the Reds' win over Crystal Palace at the weekend. The 30-year-old defender opened the scoring with a towering header from an Andy Robertson corner in the first half.

His performance earned him widespread applause, with Ronaldinho also joining in. The Brazilian commented the following on van Dijk's Instagram post after Liverpool's win over Palace:

“You are fantastic; play with elegance and command the defence with mastery… Congratulations.”

Apart from his goal, Virgil van Dijk also had a solid defensive performance. The Dutchman had three clearances, one interception, won two aerial duels, and had a passing accuracy of 93%.

Liverpool were regularly troubled by Crystal Palace, and needed Alisson Becker to bail them out on multiple occasions. However, goals from Virgil van Dijk, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Fabinho were enough for the Reds to secure all three points.

The win was crucial for Jurgen Klopp's side after Manchester City dropped points against Southampton a day earlier. The Saints held the defending champions to a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium, following a valiant display.

As things stand, Liverpool are second in the Premier League standings, having accumulated 48 points from 22 games. The Reds are currently nine points behind league leaders Manchester City, but have a game in hand over them.

---

How has Virgil van Dijk performed for Liverpool this season?

Van Dijk has made 20 league appearances for Liverpool this season, and has played the full 90 minutes in all of those fixtures. The 30-year-old defender, though, missed three games in December after getting infected with COVID-19.

Overall, the former Southampton and Celtic defender has made 26 appearances for the Reds, and has contributed two goals and an assist across all competitions.

Virgil van Dijk has been one of the most important signings in the club's recent history. The Dutch defender arrived at Anfield for a fee of £75 million from Southampton in January 2018. Since then, Van Dijk has guided Liverpool to the UEFA Champions League, Premier League title, UEFA Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup titles.

It is worth mentioning that Van Dijk signed a new contract with the Reds that will keep him at the club till the summer of 2025.