Virgil van Dijk’s actions towards Alexander Isak behind closed doors sum him up

Virgil van Dijk was accused of piling in on Milos Kerkez following Liverpool’s defeat to Man Utd, while Marco van Basten recently claimed the defender is not a leader

Virgil van Dijk has been offering support to Alexander Isak as he adjusts to life at Liverpool. The forward moved to the Reds on transfer deadline day in a deal worth £125m.

The Sweden international joined Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni, Armin Pesci and Freddie Woodman in making the move to Anfield – as Arne Slot oversaw an almost complete overhaul of the attack that won the title last season.

However, Isak is yet to score in the Premier League or Champions League, with his only goal for the Reds coming against Southampton in the Carabao Cup. The forward’s performances have also come into question as he adjusts to life as a Liverpool player.

But according to The Athletic, Reds captain Van Dijk has been particularly supportive in terms of offering advice to the club’s record signing. The revelation comes after the Dutchman was accused of piling in on another team-mate in Milos Kerkez following Liverpool’s defeat to Manchester United on Sunday.

One moment that summed up Liverpool’s afternoon against Ruben Amorim’s side came in the second half when an attempted clearance from Van Dijk smacked off the face of Kerkez and went over the crossbar. The centre-back then appeared to have a go at his team-mate, something that left former Premier League midfielder Craig Burley outraged.

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“Virgil van Dijk, to me, is not leading at the moment – he’s blaming,” he told ESPN FC. “Kerkez is having a bad time, there’s no doubt about it.

“He’s getting swallowed up by the pressure of going in with these big players in this huge football club with these big expectations, but I don’t think it helps when your captain’s looking at him every two minutes and blaming him, or digging him out.

“Even at the end, the clearance that comes off Kerkez’s face. What’s he supposed to do? He’s tucking in behind Van Dijk.

“Van Dijk’s turning around and he’s gesturing to him. The crowd see it and I just don’t think that helps the situation.”

While speaking earlier this month, Dutch great Marco van Basten also claimed Van Dijk is not a leader. He said: “I think Van Dijk should be the leader. He should set a good example and be the driving force.

“I miss that in him. I find his mentality easy. He’s a fantastic player, and perhaps the best defender we have in the world.” He can head the ball, he is quick, tall, and he has a good overview.

“He’s just not the leader who drives the team forward. That would be very beneficial for the team. I hope Arne Slot can teach him that.”

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