Manchester United

Manchester United

Premier League • England

Rio Ferdinand caught ‘lying’ after probing question about Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk Liverpool August 2022

Rio Ferdinand has been caught “lying” about Liverpool superstar defender Virgil van Dijk.

The former Manchester United defender took part in a lie detector test for his FIVE Youtube channel.

Ferdinand, who now works for BT Sport, was asked about Reds defender Van Dijk and if he thought the Dutchman is better than he was.

Ferdinand replied ‘no’, but the result from the polygraph test suggested he was lying.

The pundit insisted he was telling the truth and claimed that “no one plays” like him anymore.

“The other day, my son was watching a YouTube video of me, 15 minutes,” Ferdinand said. “I watched about nine minutes and I was thinking ‘no one does that. No one plays like that no more.’

“There isn’t any centre-back that I’ve seen in recent years that plays like that.

“Virgil’s top. When his career is finished you can do this (compare).”

It was then put to Ferdinand that Van Dijk would not have six Premier League titles to his name when he finishes playing and Ferdinand replied: “You said it. He’s the best now. He’s making it look easy.”

Van Dijk admired by Romero

Asked if it was easy in today’s era playing against one striker, Ferdinand said: “I think that plays a part, so yes. Playing one striker and two wide gives you move breathers. When we were playing it was one vs one against the striker and the same for my partner.

“All game and no respite and you were getting tested more in that sense. Now there are different tests, with the ball there is more responsibility to start the play.

“But defending we had to be on it, the depth of quality strikers from then to no is incomparable. ”

Van Dijk, 31, was a £75m signing from Southampton in January 2018. He is widely thought to be one of the best, if not the best centre-back in the world.

And Tottenham defender Cristian Romero has admitted to looking up to the Holland international.

“When I was a boy I used to watch Puyol and Pique’s Barcelona a lot. Today I watch Van Dijk a lot,” he told Como Te Va.

READ MORE: Jude Bellingham: Liverpool ‘expected’ to complete blockbuster transfer, but there’s a bittersweet catch