Van Dijk the best leader since Carragher, says former Liverpool striker

Mo Salah; Virgil Van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk is the first man to lead from the back since Jamie Carragher left Liverpool, according to Emile Heskey.

The Holland defender arrived from Southampton for £75million in January 2018 and he has been outstanding from day one.

The 27-year-old has been an ever present in the Premier League this season and has marshalled a Reds defence which has conceded just 13 goals in 23 games.

And Heskey believes he is the first man to command a defence at Anfield like Carragher did before he hung up his boots in 2013.

“He’s a great defender, he’s quick, he’s good in the air, he barks out orders,” Heskey told Sky Sports.

 

“When you look at Van Dijk and when you look at Liverpool, in essence they haven’t had that leader I would go as far back as Jamie Carragher.

“Someone who really commands a defence. Someone who really stands out and is counted for. Someone who is marshalling people around. Now Van Dijk has come in and he seems to be that man.

“He’s a great defender, he’s quick, he’s good in the air, he barks out orders.

“So what more do you need? It seems that everyone who plays alongside him [he] always brings out the best in them as well.”

Heskey, who scored 60 goals for Liverpool in 223 games in all competitions, played with Carragher for five years at Anfield, while the pair also played together for England.

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