Rio Ferdinand has claimed that he and Liverpool centre-back Virgil Van Dijk would have made for a mean centre-back partnership.
Ferdinand partnered Van Dijk in BT Sport’s Greatest Premier League Team of All-Time as voted for by fans. And speaking to BT Sport after the reveal of the team, Ferdinand said he’d have ‘worked well’ with the Liverpool man.
“I think on paper we’d have worked well together,” said the 43-year-old. “There wouldn’t have been many players getting in behind us, I know that for a fact with the pace we would have had.”
It would indeed have been an excellent partnership. Van Dijk would of course still be the main man, but I guess Ferdinand wouldn’t be a bad deputy.
Van Dijk one of the greatest to ever do it
It just goes to show Van Dijk’s standing in the game that he was voted into BT’s all-time team. There me be a certain sense of recency bias in the vote, but it’s hard to argue that there’s been many better than Virgil.
Others may have won more in terms of titles, but on ability alone, no one touches the Dutchman. His peak even saw him run Lionel Messi unbelievably close for the 2019 Ballon d’Or.
Had Van Dijk have won the prestigious award three years ago, no one could have complained. During that season, and pretty much ever since, he has been imperious for Liverpool.
Almost five years on from his signing, and he still yet to lose a league game at Anfield. When he has played a full season for The Reds, they’ve collected 97, 99 and 92 points. That’s a stunning record.
That isn’t all down to Van Dijk. But the transformative effect he has had on Liverpool’s fortunes is plain to see.
The 31-year-old is a truly world-class operator who we’re lucky to have happy and settled at the club. Now thirty-one, we may start to see his considerable powers start to wane a little, though.
But one ACL injury aside, his injury record is remarkably good. That should hopefully mean that we’re able to enjoy many years of our number 4 yet.
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