Alan Shearer names ‘wonderful’ Liverpool player Arne Slot can’t lose this season after Ipswich win

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Liverpool maintained their impressive lead in the Premier League title race with a professional 4-1 win against Ipswich Town.

The Tractor Boys were no match for Arne Slot’s side as the Anfield giants blew Ipswich away with a comfortable result on Merseyside, with Cody Gakpo the main man for Liverpool as the winger bagged a brace for the Reds.

Although Michael Owen pointed out that Slot could be mad with Liverpool conceding a late goal against Ipswich, the overall performance was one of dominance from the Premier League leaders, who took another big step towards winning the title.

With an almost fit squad, Liverpool are heading into the most important part of the season with all the key players available, and Alan Shearer has now named the one figure the Reds can’t afford to lose at this stage.

READ MORE: Everything to know on Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk from his tattoo to net worth

Liverpool would struggle if they lost Virgil van Dijk this season

Speaking on Match of the Day, the pundit noted how Liverpool losing Virgil van Dijk to injury ‘would hurt’ if the defender was to pick up an injury or fitness issue in the final four months of the Premier League season.

The Dutch international has been arguably the best defender in the world this season for the Reds, with Brentford manager Thomas Frank recently lauding Van Dijk one week after the centre-back’s performance against the Bees in west London.

And for Shearer, Liverpool losing Van Dijk would be a disastrous occurrence for the Reds, with the 33-year-old defender simply too good and important to pick up an injury at this stage in the season for the Anfield side.

Shearer said: “It’s hard to stop them, they’ve got so many options, but the one injury they could get that would hurt them if it were to happen would be Van Dijk. But everywhere else, they’ve got strength and depth, and he’s just a wonderful player, so incredible and strong.”

Could Van Dijk leave Liverpool during the January transfer window?

Van Dijk’s form has been important to Liverpool’s rise to the top of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League standings, with the defender as good as he has ever been under Slot and alongside Ibrahima Konate.

Which is why Liverpool fans rightfully remain on edge about the former Southampton man’s future, with Van Dijk yet to commit his future to the Reds despite his contract expiring at the end of this season, alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah.

Although Robbie Fowler theorises that Van Dijk has signed a new deal with the Anfield side, there will be uncomfortable tension with supporters until an official announcement is made by Liverpool, especially with the January transfer window still open for another week.