Crystal Palace 0-1 Liverpool (Jota 9′) SELHURST PARK — In a largely forgettable match where Liverpool ensured they would head into another international break top of the Premier League , it was a pleasure to simply watch a master at work. Virgil van Dijk is quietly having a superb start to the season. Quiet, because he isn’t receiving the same level of fanfare as Arsenal duo Gabriel and William Saliba.
Quiet, because this is the level we have come to expect from the Dutchman. This is not a groundbreaking observation, but Van Dijk is just such a commanding presence, forever talking, gesturing, advising and dishing out instructions. Read Next From grief to Fleetwood: Charlie Adam and the moment that turned his life around On Saturday, it was mainly Kostas Tsimikas on the receiving end of this, and that only served to benefit the left-back and Liverpool as a whole, as they kept a sixth clean sheet of the season.
It wasn’t routine. Only 1-0 thanks to Diogo Jota’s early goal, the introduction of Jean-Philippe Mateta stretching Liverpool, while the loss of Alisson to injury was a late blow as well. But both Van Dijk and centre-back partner Ibrahima Konate were crucial in keeping the hosts at bay – and they would have been grateful when Palace’s best chance, late on, was spurned by Eberechi Eze.
That was a tad fortunate for Liverpool, as was perhaps the decision to not penalise Van Dijk for pulling back Marc Guehi inside the area, but that is a – to use a vogue phras.