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Liverpool: This is the back four we want to see line up at Swansea

By David Gate

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Trent Alex Arnold of Liverpool is tackled by Jordan Ayew of Swansea City during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Swansea City at Anfield on December 26, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Trent Alex Arnold of Liverpool is tackled by Jordan Ayew of Swansea City during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Swansea City at Anfield on December 26, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images) /
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Virgil van Dijk is watched by Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James McCarthy of Everton during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Everton (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Virgil van Dijk is watched by Dominic Calvert-Lewin and James McCarthy of Everton during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Liverpool and Everton (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) /

Center Back: Virgil van Dijk

A mild sense of panic spread around Liverpool Twitter on Sunday afternoon. After news broke that Virgil van Dijk was to miss the Man City fixture the collective heart palpitations were felt by all. Liverpool got tanked 5-0 by City earlier in the season. Van Dijk was represented the hope that it wouldn’t happen again.

As it turned out we did okay. Dejan Lovren came in and handled his business (until the 91st minute at least). While I would not be worried seeing Lovren or Ragnar Klavan on the team sheet I am impatient to get a second look at van Dijk in red.

His debut was a classic; scoring the winning goal at the Kop end in a Merseyside FA Cup derby against Everton. It was beautiful and electrifying. That fierce atmosphere carried over into the Manchester City game. Such an important goal.

There will be games ahead where we will need him much more than in this one. But it is vital that he gets settled in as soon as possible. His leadership was evident in his debut. The nervy last few minutes against City showed again how much we need defensive leadership.

Let’s get the Matip/van Dijk partnership up and running. And if Loris Karius is going to be our keeper for the rest of the season wea re going to need all the stability we can get in front of him.

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