"Watch him defend, watch him score" - The ever-rising stock of Virgil van Dijk

Your club makes you the most expensive defender in the world. Your manager says your debut will come in a derby in the FA Cup. So, in front of an expectant home crowd, you just rise - tower - above everyone else, and score a headed winner.

What a start to life as a Liverpool player, Virgil van Dijk! That goal against Everton at Anfield still remains the only time he's found the back of the net for the Reds. Heh, football, bloody hell...

But no, Jurgen Klopp did not make him the world's most expensive defender with the expectation of seeing the big Dutchman make the opposition net ripple. It was to ensure the net behind his troops wasn't rippling very often.

As soon as Van Dijk slotted in on the left side at the heart of Liverpool's defence, the Reds’ fortunes changed for the better.

Loris Karius, oh Loris Karius! There was such an improvement in his game between January and May. That dreaded 26th of May. He'd actually cemented his spot as the Reds' No.1, and Dejan Lovren improved significantly because of having a genuinely world-class centre-back in his midst. Andy Robertson flew! And how! That confidence of having van Dijk on his side of defence propelled the Scot and boy, those left-footed crosses into the box - things of beauty.

Jordan Henderson wore that armband, and his own performances became so much better post-January, as he lead Liverpool's dream run to the Champions League final last season, but there is little doubt that the dream run wouldn't have happened without a dose of pony-tailed calmness and leadership.

Van Dijk provided that, and Klopp was vindicated. Large parts of football fandom derided, scoffed at, laughed at the 75-million-pound largesse of Liverpool's owners to sanction the signing of Van Dijk. Is anyone laughing anymore?

Oh well, post a World Cup sans his Netherlands, van Dijk has only come back and gone from strength to strength. That dreaded 26th of May had consumed a victim - Loris Karius's Liverpool career. Another show of largesse from the Reds' owners meant that there was Alisson Becker and all his bearded chutzpah on show in the Liverpool goal for the season, and what Klopp will hope will be plenty of more seasons beyond.

The Reds have conceded ten goals in the 16 games that van Dijk has begun this season and a measly five in the league. They've conceded one Anfield goal since the end of February.

For a group of fans used to Lovren's frequent indiscretions, Matip's meek surrenders, Klavan's abhorrent lack of pace, this was different, and it took time getting used to.

Give me my Liverpool back, they screamed. You're not, said a van Dijk-led Reds rearguard.

He's not only revitalised Liverpool, but he's also leading the Netherlands national team into a phase of spectacular rebirth.

France and Germany awaited the Dutch in the UEFA Nations League. When they lost 1-2 in their opener at the Stade de France, who'd have thought that they'd have semifinal-qualification in their own hands when they headed to face Germany in Gelsenkirchen on Monday?

Van Dijk's 90th-minute goal against Germany sent the Netherlands into the UEFA Nations League semifinal

They did. They scored five goals in the two games that followed at home against their two group rivals. They scored five! But hold your breath, they conceded none. Zero.

Thomas Muller and Kylian Mbappe, Timo Werner and Antoine Griezmann, Leroy Sane and Ousmane Dembele, they all came. They all wanted a piece of the Dutch. They were getting none.

In fact, it is almost hilarious how little Jasper Cillessen in the Dutch goal had to do in those two games.

Much like at Liverpool, van Dijk has had to partner a precociously talented young man at the heart of the defence. Joe Gomez and Matthijs de Ligt are stars for the future, although one could just as easily argue that they already have the world at their feet.

They've had van Dijk for company and they've revelled in the insurance that he's provided them. It's allowed them the comfort of the knowledge that he'd probably be around to sweep up should they make a mistake.

All this builds van Dijk up as a messiah. Is he? Oh, absolutely not. He's prone to the odd minor error, as Raheem Sterling found out in the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal at the Etihad last season.

But largely, it's time the football world starts attaching more respect to van Dijk's name. There's ample evidence already to suggest he's one of the best defenders in the world, and most definitely the best centre-back in the Premier League.

In terms of impact on his team, the drama with which he's made Liverpool's rearguard less leaky has been spectacular - straight out of one of those superhero movies that you find.

And then, he scores big goals! He's scored against Everton for Liverpool, and he's scored twice against Germany for his country. Love thy neighbour, do they say?

He is captain of the Netherlands, he is Liverpool's leader, and he is one unbelievable centre-back.

"Watch him defend, watch him score, he's Virgil van Dijk."