Liverpool 2-1 Wolves: Five things we learned – Virgil van Dijk doesn’t sweat

An unstoppable unit

Every time Wolves broke forward, and there were plenty in the first 45, the calmest man in the world was there to stop them. Van Dijk doesn’t even break a sweat as he continued to put in nudges, blocks and tackles to snuff out any hint of danger before the opposition forwards could get going.

Jimenez will be going to sleep tonight feeling the Dutchman’s breath on the back of his neck, he’ll wake up twisting and turning as he tries to run from the spectre of Virgil. He never makes away. But you have to give credit to the Mexican, he had one chance and he made it count as he got the run on the defence and headed past Alisson.

That aside, Virgil was there pointing fingers and shouting at the lads and showing them what a top-class defenders looks and smells like. He’ll be as disappointed as anyone to have conceded the first goal in nine games, but with him at the back you wouldn’t bet against them to do it again.

He isn’t just super valuable as a defender – there is the attacking bit too. He gets more goals than any other central defender and Virgil van Dijk is a key way of how Liverpool set up at corner and free-kick time.