Virgil van Dijk lays down new Ryan Gravenberch Liverpool challenge - 'Form of his life'

Virgil van Dijk has heaped praise on Ryan Gravenberch

Virgil van Dijk believes Ryan Gravenberch is in "the form of his life" at Liverpool as the captain highlighted the midfielder's importance for the Premier League leaders.

Gravenberch continued his excellent start to the campaign with another superlative display on Saturday lunchtime as Everton were beaten 2-1 at Anfield in the 247th Merseyside derby,

Gravenberch became the youngest player to score and assist in the fixture at the age of 23 years and 127 days.

Netherlands star Gravenberch scored the opening goal by hooking home Mohamed Salah's pass before supplying Hugo Ekitike with a through ball for the hosts to double their lead before Idrissa Gueye's consolation after the break.

Van Dijk has been hugely impressed with his Oranje colleague's displays so far this term but also outlined how decisive Gravenberch has been more generally since Arne Slot arrived on Merseyside.

Van Dijk

It's 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.

“For me personally, you see the amount of times I try to look for him [for a pass]. 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.

"I think it changed a bit in that particular moment because Macca (Alexis Mac Allister) was on the pitch and he can obviously cover the No 6 position at times.

“Because they try to go a bit man v man in the midfield, you have to try to take your marker away. He did that outstandingly well. It was a great goal.

"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 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 today."

On the game itself, Van Dijk added: "It was a very good game. In the first half we were outstanding in possession. Scored two great goals.

In the second half we were a bit sloppy at times and lost the ball in difficult places.

"We gave them a little bit of momentum. After they scored we created some opportunities on the counter attack to get a third goal.

“We could maybe have done a bit better but in the circumstances I'm very pleased with the performance. Now we recover and go home.

I don't think you can expect any easy games in the Premier League. It's about getting over the line.

“Of course you want to win comfortably but that's not always easy. Sometimes you have to fight and that's what we did in the second half.

"I'm pleased for Hugo. It's what we want our striker to do. Against a very good Everton defence he did very well. It was a calm finish."

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