Troy Deeney has named Virgil van Dijk in the Premier League Team of the Week and suggested he’s the reason Milos Kerkez has improved at Liverpool.
Van Dijk has had a mixed campaign at Anfield, with his performances having a noticeable impact on the team.
However, he was in top form during the 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, playing a key role in the Reds keeping a clean sheet.
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He featured alongside Milos Kerkez, and Deeney has praised the Dutchman’s impact on the summer signing.
Virgil van Dijk named in Premier League Team of the Week, positive impact on Milos Kerkez explained
Deeney selected his Premier League Team of the Week for the BBC shortly after Manchester United’s fixture with Everton came to a close on Monday evening.
Despite scoring the winner, Alexis Mac Allister did not make the XI, with Van Dijk the only one of Arne Slot’s men to feature.
When speaking about the centre-back, he explained that he is actually playing a key role in Milos Kerkez’s improved form.
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He stated: “People have been questioning whether he or John Terry is the better Premier League centre-back. For me, Van Dijk is just a Rolls-Royce and the two of them go in the same category. He delivers all the time and has started to make Milos Kerkez look better with his organisation. It was a tough game against Forest but he stood up and delivered.”
Deeney’s Premier League Team of the Week
Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
Lewis Hall (Newcastle)
Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City)
Anton Stach (Leeds)
Eberechi Eze (Arsenal)
Diego Gomez (Brighton)
Zian Flemming (Burnley)
Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)
Raul Jimenez (Fulham)
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rIO nGUMOHA PLAYING FOR lIVERPOOL VS nOTTINGHAM FOREST
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Milos Kerkez credited Florian Wirtz, not Virgil van Dijk, for improved form
While Kerkez is now much improved since he first arrived at Liverpool from Bournemouth, the left-back has not actually mentioned Van Dijk as the reason for his upturn in form.
The Hungarian was ‘found out’ earlier in the campaign, according to former Premier League manager Alan Pardew.
But Kerkez actually praised Wirtz and their connection down the left when discussing why he got better at the back end of December.
He said: “At the moment, there’s a good connection between me and Flo (Wirtz). We’re playing well and I hope it keeps going.
“I like [the change in shape] because I have more freedom with Flo. We are moving, passing and playing a lot of one-twos. I felt like I was in the opposition box a lot more and crossing.”
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