BBC pundit puts Liverpool player in his PL Team of the Week, calls him a ‘menace’

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Garth Crooks has included Virgil Van Dijk in his “Team of the Week” column for BBC Sport. The veteran pundit has been guilty of some head-scratching calls in the past – leaving Mohamed Salah out of his team of 2021 was a bizarre decision. But he’s got it right this week with the centre-back.

Crooks was impressed with the Dutchman’s ability to threaten from set pieces. He writes, “Liverpool were unlucky not to go one up when Van Dijk, a menace in any opposition’s penalty area, brought the ball down brilliantly and shot at goal, only to see his effort superbly saved by Alvaro Fernandez.

“It was Van Dijk’s presence in Brentford’s box on another set-piece that created the opening for Fabinho to score.”

Liverpool were threatening to score from a corner throughout the first half. Too often in recent weeks we’ve seen unusually poor deliveries from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson scupper Liverpool’s chances from set-pieces. But on Sunday Brentford never looked comfortable trying to contain Van Dijk in particular.

The only surprise when the goal eventually came was that it wasn’t the pony-tailed number four who supplied it. Nevertheless he unsettled the defenders enough to cause panic, and the ball found its way to Fabinho who couldn’t miss.

Set-pieces key for Liverpool

It’s vitally important that Liverpool get back into the groove of scoring from dead balls. Earlier in the season they were a good source of goals for The Reds. But they’ve dried up recently.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have looked less penetrative from open play without the pace of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane up front. They need to make more use of Trent’s exceptional crossing when the opportunity comes.

Crooks is correct when he suggests that Van Dijk’s goal-scoring prowess could be important in the coming weeks too. “It’s clear the Netherlands international is a problem for rival defenders, which is just as well because against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup on Thursday – and missing their players on Africa Cup of Nations duty – they look very ordinary”, he writes.

For all his menace, Van Dijk only has one goal this season. Liverpool need to find a way to make him look as dangerous as he did yesterday every game.