Robin van Persie and Rio Ferdinand both agree on what Virgil van Dijk must do at Liverpool
VIRGIL VAN DIJK may have won PFA Player of the Year last season - but both Robin van Persie and Rio Ferdinand believe the Liverpool man can still improve.
Rio Ferdinand and Robin van Persie both believe Virgil van Dijk can improve at Liverpool (Image: BT SPORT/GETTY)
Van Dijk led Liverpool to their Champions League triumph last term and second place in the Premier League.
His form has led to many regarding the Holland international as the best centre-back in the world.
Manchester United legend Ferdinand believes that is still the case but agrees there is room for improvement.
Ferdinand and his former United team-mate Van Persie were working as pundits for BT Sport ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield between Liverpool and Manchester City.
Yeah I do believe if he can add that more to his game, it will elevate him again
Rio Ferdinand on Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk
And Van Persie had a question to ask Ferdinand about his countryman.
“I have a question for you Rio about Van Dijk,” Van Persie said.
“Van Dijk is a top, top player, he proves himself.
“He went from a small team, Celtic, to Southampton, now Liverpool for the last couple of years, captain of Holland. He has it all in my opinion
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Rio Ferdinand and Robin van Persie both believe Virgil van Dijk can be more positive in defending (Image: BT SPORT)
“But do you think that he can gain that extra 10 per cent if he starts to defend forward, towards the ball?
“Now he’s mainly running with the ball, with the player.
“You had that, you had four or five out of 10 times you had that sense of sometimes going towards the ball and attack the ball.”
Ferdinand concurred with Van Persie and says Van Dijk can also get better with the ball at his feet.
“Yeah I agree with what you’re saying,” Ferdinand replied.
“What he does is he backs his pace. He backs his pace and strength to jockey and if the player kicks it and tries to open up and run, he gets himself across there and sniffs it out 100 per cent.
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