The man has lost the plot. Virgil van Dijk has been the best defender in the Premier League this season, and there can be little debate about the matter. He has transformed a Liverpool team that had become notorious for their soft underbelly, turning them into one of the best defensive teams in Europe.
Whether Liverpool end their Premier League title drought this season or not, the Dutchman will be there or there about for the PFA Player of the Year award come the end of the campaign. The £75million fee Southampton received for the player was widely mocked at the time, but it is already looking like a bargain.
Despite all this, he wouldn't get into the Manchester United team. At least that the opinion of former Reds Devil captain Nemanja Vidic.
Speaking on Omnisport, he claimed that van Dijk is not as good as United's current crop of defenders. In fact, he believes the Liverpool man is overhyped:
Overall, I said even before when they didn’t have great games, if you look at the other teams, I would not have any defenders of Liverpool or Chelsea,” Vidic told Omnisport. “I don't think they have better defenders than we have.
I think he’s (Van Dijk) doing a great job – he’s strong physically, he’s fast, he’s a presence on the pitch. He’s a great defender, top defender, but I’m saying when teams are doing well, everyone gets recognition.
I know that because I played for Man United and when you’re doing well, when you’re scoring goals, (getting) a few clean sheets, straight away people start talking about how good you are. I think that’s why I like to believe that we have good defenders.
He has to be taking the piss here. Van Dijk would walk into any team in world football, and he certainly wouldn't be kept out of the side by the likes of Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones or Chris Smalling. That quartet has led a United defence that has conceded 35 goals in the Premier League, over double Liverpool's 15. That is despite having perhaps the best goalkeeper in the world to bail them out.
While United have rewarded some of that bunch with new contracts, they are also actively trying to replace them. The centre back position is believed to be a priority for the club this summer, with the likes of Kalidou Kouliably linked with a move to Old Trafford.
Have a word with yourself Nemanja.
