Ian Wright makes claim about Virgil van Dijk after Liverpool vs Brentford

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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has been earning praise for his return to form this season.

Last year was a really difficult one for Van Dijk, as he had to deal with vocal critics for perhaps the first time in his Liverpool career. Going into this campaign, there were question marks over whether the 32-year-old still had what it takes.

Three months into the new season though, and those doubts have been blown away. Van Dijk has been superb.

More confirmation of that fact today comes from pundit Ian Wright. Speaking on The Kelly & Wrighty Show after this weekend’s Premier League fixtures, Wright saw fit to put some respect on Virgil’s name.

“I think Van Dijk is back to the Van Dijk that we know and love, he’s a great player,” said the pundit. Too right.

Van Dijk back on form

When a player goes through a tough spell and then bounces back, the vernacular is always to claim that he’s ‘back to his best.’

Quite a few have coined that very phrase when discussing Liverpool’s captain this season, but we’re not sure that it’s quite correct.

Although it’s true that Van Dijk has been one of the Reds’ very best players so far in 2023/24, he will probably never again be at his ‘best.’

That isn’t because he’s over the hill, or is no longer capable, though. It’s just that Van Dijk’s peak was perhaps the best we’ve ever seen of any defender. To reach the heights of a FIFA Best Player award and a Ballon d’Or runner-up again would be truly remarkable. It isn’t going to happen.

Nonetheless, if the Dutchman can get anywhere near that level again, then Liverpool are going to be there or thereabouts and the early signs of that are very, very good indeed. Virgil once again looks like a player who attackers simply do not want to take on.

More aggressive than we’ve previously seen him and clearly carrying a steely determination, the responsibility of the captaincy seems to have really buoyed our No.4.

Those who previously wrote him off as being ‘finished’ are certainly very quiet indeed now.

Of course, there’s still a long way to go of the season and we shouldn’t be getting too carried away. But on this form, Van Dijk is once again the best defender in the world. As if it were ever in doubt.