Sky Sports pundit makes Virgil van Dijk ‘victim’ claim over poor form accusations

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Virgil van Dijk has been subject to much more criticism in this campaign than any of his previous four for Liverpool and one commentator has shared his thoughts on the defender.

Speaking with Football Insider, occasional Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson spoke about the captain of Holland and his comeback from a knee injury: “He is as fit as anybody.

“I think his drop-off in form is nothing to do with fitness levels or fatigue from last season. I just think he is playing in a team that is struggling. He has been more exposed than he has been in previous seasons.

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“Liverpool are conceding goals cheaply. When the praise comes from keeping clean sheets, the criticism is going to come when you are playing poorly and conceding goals.

“I think Van DIjk is a victim of the team’s performance rather than any individual struggles. I do not think there is a hangover from last year.”

Much has been made about an apparent ‘drop-off in form’ but it is easy to forget that this season has been far from disastrous so far and we will return from the international break on a run of two clean sheets in three league games.

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Our No.4 could have won the Ballon d’Or a couple of seasons ago, that’s the level of defender he was and is, so any slight drop in performances is hugely magnified.

As the former Tottenham Hotspur ‘keeper says, it’s not as if the 31-year-old is single-handedly to blame for any drop in team performance and results.

Everyone is responsible for what is happening and Jurgen Klopp will be confident that this squad of players can get themselves back into good form, as soon as we are back with a run of games and a fit squad.

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