News'Virgil has grown a lot as a player and as a captain'

Van Dijk has been in impressive and commanding form this season, the 32-year-old flourishing after taking over the armband for the Reds in the summer.

Most recently, the No.4 and fellow centre-back Ibrahima Konate helped to shut out AFC Bournemouth on Sunday as Jürgen Klopp’s men won 4-0 at Vitality Stadium to move five points clear atop the Premier League.

Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup semi-final, second-leg clash with Fulham tonight, assistant manager Lijnders was fulsome in his praise for the defender.

Asked whether he could see Van Dijk playing into his late 30s, Lijnders said: “I think so, yes. Him and Ibou are really important for us.

“If you see how [Justin] Kluivert, [Luis] Sinisterra and Dom [Solanke] positioned themselves [for Bournemouth], they made many runs in the back, and how they [Van Dijk and Konate] protected each other – they cleared five or six situations, I think, before it became dangerous.

“I think Virgil can easily do that. If he’s in a team that plays offensively, [like] how we play, with this kind of style, then yes. It is suited for him. It would be different in a different style.

“He grew a lot this year as a player but also as a captain, I think that goes hand in hand. I don’t know what is next for him to give.”

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