This Liverpool Player Is Key To Title Challenge, Not Salah

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy believes that Dutch international centre back Virgil Van Dijk is crucial to the Reds’ Premier League title chances this season.

Danny Murphy said this while he was on the Match of the Day programme on the BBC as he praised the Reds defender for his showing against the Gunners in their Premier League meeting at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening.

He was impressed with the way the former Celtic and Southampton player marshalled the Liverpool defence against the Gunners.

In addition to that, Virgil Van Dijk had several opportunities to score for Liverpool but he was denied by good goalkeeping from the Arsenal goalkeeper, Bernd Leno.

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The German shot-stopper denied Van Dijk from close range in the first half before his second-half header was repelled by the former Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper.

Van Dijk and Liverpool took the lead shortly after the hour mark through the impressive James Milner.

It was his 50th Premier League goal for the ex-Three Lions of England midfielder.

The Reds held on to that lead from Milner until the 82nd minute when Arsenal substitute Alex Iwobi set up in-form striker Alexandre Lacazette for him to score the Gunners’ equaliser.