‘Like a statue’: Martin Keown says Liverpool player just isn’t bothering to run enough this season

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Martin Keown has told TalkSPORT today that Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk needs to do more to be considered the all-time great Premier League defender.

Van Dijk has been lauded in the last few years for his performances. However, a dip in those performance levels has coincided with Liverpool being poor this season.

Last weekend against Leeds Van Dijk was once again caught out as Crysencio Summerville struck a late winner. And speaking on TalkSPORT today, Arsenal legend Keown feels the Dutchman needs to be more aggressive.

“I feel he could be the all-time great. But what I feel he’s doing is at times instead of actually pressing and smothering his opponent, he’s stood like a statue. He’s hoping the ball’s going to hit him. And I Just think that the instinct needs to be to go towards the ball,” Keown said on TalkSPORT.

“We saw Milner in his ear. Milner was bang on it. Then another against Zaha for Palace. It’s like he’s running in an Olympic lane. Get across, get across. Does he feel like he doesn’t want to get embarrassed? Why doesn’t he want to risk going in? I think you need to do that, do some of the rough and tough stuff. I thought it had gone away when he played Haaland, he and Gomez were quite magnificent.

“When get gets that (instinct to press) he’ll probably be the best defender we’ve seen, all around. His passing is magnificent, he’s a giant in the air. He’s ahead of a lot in most categories, but he isn’t on blocks.”

TBR’s View: Van Dijk can be better for Liverpool

It’s no coincidence that Van Dijk isn’t playing at his best and Liverpool are struggling as well. He has been such a giant for them in recent seasons that a drop off was always going to have an impact.

Van Dijk can and should be doing better. Sure, he is still one of the first names on the team sheet. But Liverpool need more of the Van Dijk they saw against Man City.

As Keown says, only by improving a bit more can Van Dijk be considered a true great.