It should be clear for all to see by now that Virgil van Dijk is a freak of nature as a centre back. And his latest record only serves to confirm it.
He reads the game very well and has the physical attributes to match this intellect, which mark him out as one of, if not, the best central defenders in the world, not just the Premier League.
Another strong performance from him against West Ham United also deepened this point, with the latest statistic about the Dutchman showcasing his quality and Liverpool’s desperate need to keep him at full fitness.
As per OptaJoe, following Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over West Ham at Anfield, Van Dijk broke the record for most home games without a home defeat for a single club.
The 30-year-old has now played in 60 Premier League games at Anfield for Liverpool, and has not yet lost a single one. He now holds the record with 52 wins and eight draws to his name.
If it wasn’t obvious from last season, Liverpool desperately need to keep Van Dijk fit. The team last year struggled to make top four without his calming presence at the back, and while they also had injuries to other defenders which only deepened the issue, it was the injury to the Dutchman which most hurt the club.
