Premier League nice Rio Ferdinand has recalled an incident involving Virgil van Dijk and Raheem Sterling from Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis’s Premier League draw final weekend.
The Reds and the Residents performed out an entertaining 2-2 draw on the Etihad Stadium within the league final Sunday. Kevin de Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus discovered the again of the online for Pep Guardiola’s facet, whereas Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane netted for the guests.
With only one level separating the 2 groups on the factors desk, the sport was crammed with fascinating moments. An incident involving Liverpool’s Van Dijk and Manchester Metropolis’s Sterling notably stood out to Ferdinand.
Near the Seventieth-minute market, Sterling went one-on-one towards Van Dijk within the Reds’ penalty space. Whereas the state of affairs appeared promising for Manchester Metropolis, nothing got here of the assault because the Dutchman stood agency towards the ahead.
Wanting again on the incident, Ferdinand insisted that Sterling determined towards taking Van Dijk on out of respect for the 30-year-old. Hailing the Liverpool celebrity’s aura as a defender, the Manchester United legend dubbed the second as ‘unbelievable’. He mentioned on his YouTube channel [via The Echo]:
“You noticed when Sterling went via, Virgil van Dijk stood him up one-v-one. Out of respect, Sterling turned out and didn’t go for him. If he was enjoying towards another person, with out the status, he goes at him and takes a shot. It was unbelievable.”
This isn’t the primary time an attacker has been delay by Van Dijk’s presence this season. Lautaro Martinez seemed to be intimidated by the Dutchman when he was one-on-one towards him throughout Inter Milan’s UEFA Champions League Spherical of 16 conflict at Anfield.
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk has returned to his finest this season
Virgil van Dijk missed virtually the whole lot of the 2020-21 season as a result of a long-term harm. The defender suffered a setback in the course of the Reds’ Premier League conflict with Everton at Goodison Park early on and was sidelined for the remainder of the marketing campaign.
The 30-year-old returned to motion for Jurgen Klopp’s facet this time period and has been spectacular up to now. Whereas there have been doubts if he’ll return to his finest following the ligament harm, he has re-established himself as one of many centre-backs on this planet.
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Van Dijk has made 41 appearances throughout all competitions for the Anfield outfit this season. He has scored three targets and supplied one help in the course of the course of.
