Liverpool manager Arne Slot on how important Virgil van Dijk is to the football club: “It’s always difficult to describe. You know how important he is when you see him play, that’s what we all see. I mostly watch football and look at ball possession and he is so good at bringing the ball out from the back and his diagonal passes.

“And then the leader he is around the training ground, that is something I have never worked with a player like him in terms of his leadership and the energy he brings to the team in every single training session. And how professional he is for himself but also he tries to influence his teammates and especially the younger ones. Ryan [Gravenberch] is a great example of that. He is constantly on him to try and make him even more of a professional than he already is. He is having a big influence at this club but the main influence he has is of course on the weekend.”

For those who missed it, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk signed a new two-year contract with the club on Thursday.

The 33-year-old centre-back’s previous contract had been set to expire at the end of the season.

But the Dutchman joined forward Mohamed Salah, who signed a two-year extension last week, in committing his future to the club.

“It was always Liverpool,” said Van Dijk, who had been linked with a move to Paris St-Germain.

“That was the case. It was always in my head, it was always the plan and it was always Liverpool.”