It has become far too easy to make Virgil van Dijk the face of Liverpool’s problems whenever results dip. When a side is not fully convincing, the biggest names usually take the biggest hits.
That has certainly happened with Van Dijk this season. A few difficult moments have been used to paint a picture of decline, as though Liverpool’s captain is now surviving on reputation rather than still setting standards.
That argument falls apart when you look at the numbers. As per Squawka, the Dutchman has completed the most passes into the final third in the Premier League this season, 276, won the most aerial duels, 147, and made the most clearances, 233. Those are not the numbers of a defender fading away. They are the numbers of a centre-back still carrying huge responsibility at both ends of the pitch.
Just how bad do you want Arne Slot gone? 😬
Van Dijk is still driving Liverpool in and out of possession
The final third passing stat is especially telling. It shows the 34-year-old is still central to how Liverpool start attacks, breaking lines and turning defensive phases into pressure further up the pitch.
The aerial duel number matters for obvious reasons too. The Reds still need control in both boxes, and the stopper remains the one defender opponents cannot comfortably bully or bypass.
Then there is the clearances total. Some may try to twist that into criticism, but it actually reflects the amount of defending the club have asked him to do. When a team has structural issues around it, the elite defender often ends up cleaning up more.
Liverpool’s wider struggles have distorted the conversation
This is where the criticism of Van Dijk has gone wrong. Too many people have judged him by Liverpool’s inconsistency rather than by his own output.
Even Ben Foster said Gabriel is now better than the former Southampton player this season.
In reality, these numbers suggest he is still performing the hardest parts of the role. He is progressing play, dominating in the air and dealing with danger more than any other defender in the division.
That should matter for Liverpool moving forward. Even if there are areas of the squad that need refreshing, Van Dijk still looks like a cornerstone rather than a problem. Writing him off now is not sharp analysis. It is simply ignoring what the evidence says.
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