Robert Huth says Joel Matip was as good as Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool last season

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Former Chelsea and Leicester defender Robert Huth says that Liverpool defender Joel Matip was just as good as his defensive partner Virgil van Dijk last season.

Van Dijk got plenty of plaudits last term, but Huth feels that the £100,000-a-week (Spotrac) Matip was every bit as good as Liverpool went all the way to become champions of Europe.

As per BBC, he said: “Towards the end of last season, with the Champions League run, I thought Matip was just as good as van Dijk.

“You work in the press and once the ball gets rolling and everyone jumps on the bandwagon and says how good van Dijk is – which he clearly is. But Matip put in some amazing performances.”

TBR’s View – Huth is overstating it, but Matip has improved hugely

To begin with, van Dijk was dragging Liverpool’s defence along when he first arrived but now Matip has developed enough confidence and such a relationship with the Dutchman that he is a vital part of the defence in his own right.

Many might have expected that Joe Gomez would take his place in the team this season, but the dynamic between Matip and van Dijk is just right at the moment.

Van Dijk is still the dominant presence – if Gomez and Matip were partnered, there would be a noticeable drop off – but there’s no doubt that the freebie has upped his game considerably.