Curtis Jones names the Liverpool star who is simply ‘the best’ and Virgil van Dijk agrees

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Curtis Jones and Virgil van Dijk are in agreement that one of their Liverpool teammates is playing the best football of his career.

The Reds, for the first time this season, took a commanding two-goal lead and maintained it as they beat Everton 2-1 at Anfield in the first Merseyside derby of the season.

Arne Slot dominated the headlines heading into the clash after the Liverpool boss dropped Florian Wirtz and record signing Alexander Isak from the starting line-up.

It was a decision that paid dividends as Hugo Ekitike continued his goalscoring streak for the Reds, notching his third goal in five outings as the Frenchman doubled the hosts’ lead on Saturday.

And while Idrissa Gueye halved the deficit in the second half to set up a nervy final half hour at Anfield, the Reds held strong with both Jones and van Dijk pinpointing one player as the catalyst for the victory.

Ryan Gravenberch is “the best” player at Liverpool

Ryan Gravenberch’s “magical” goal opened the scoring for Liverpool on Saturday and took his tally to two goals and two assists in his opening five matches across all competitions.

The 22-year-old also turned provider for Ekitike to become the youngest player in the club’s history to score and assist in the Merseyside derby.

Jones left a comment on Gravenberch’s Instagram post following the victory, dubbing the midfielder “the best” as he continues to raise his performance levels for the Reds.

This is also the sentiment among the Liverpool supporters who believe Gravenberch is the “best in the world” at his position, as the fans were left in awe of his display during the 1-0 win against Burnley.

Indeed, Slot has also recognised the importance of his Dutch compatriot and noted his absence in the opening day win against Bournemouth as the primary reason that Antoine Semenyo was allowed to single-handedly claw back the two-goal lead.

A lot has been said since the start of the season as to who Liverpool’s preferred midfield three will be once Wirtz finds his feet in English football.

However, one topic that has not been discussed among the widespread reports is whether Gravenberch will lose his place in the starting line-up. The midfielder is likely to be one of the first names on the teamsheet as he continues to emphasise his importance to the champions.

Virgil van Dijk believes Ryan Gravenberch is in the form of his life

Van Dijk has also showcased his importance to this Liverpool side this season as his 92nd-minute goal against Atletico Madrid secured a 3-2 win in the Champions League opener.

And after the final whistle on Saturday, the Reds captain told ESPN that Gravenberch is in the form of his life at Anfield.

“Not just this season, he’s been playing like that from the moment last season started. He’s unbelievable. He’s very important to the way we play.

“You see the amount of times I try to look for him. It benefits him, me and the team. He’s in incredible shape. He’s in the form of his life. He has to keep going. He’s still young.

“The expectation level will always be right up there and that’s what he has to try to reach every three or four days. It’s a nice challenge.

“During his first season here he hardly played either. Listen, it’s a mix of everything: getting confidence, progressing and improving as a player, playing games at the highest level and knowing your role in the team. I’m very pleased for him because he puts in a lot of hard work to do what he is doing.”