Campbell explains the cause behind Van Dijk's downfall at Liverpool

Sol Campbell didn’t beat around the bush when explaining what has led to Virgil van Dijk’s dip in form for Liverpool.

Van Dijk won countless plaudits for his brilliant start at Liverpool upon completing a club record €84.65m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.

He grasped his big opportunity with both hands and quickly established himself as the pioneer for a new-look Liverpool backline, that has had the Premier League’s best defensive record for the last two seasons.

The Dutchman’s prominent role in the club’s passage to Champions League glory in 2018/19 earned him a runner-up spot in the 2019 Ballon d’Or poll behind Lionel Messi, and ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.

The last 18 months, however, have seen Van Dijk’s form tail off somewhat. Especially since the start of this season, with the defender being powerless to prevent Aston Villa firing seven goals past Liverpool in a 7-2 thrashing last time out.

“I know Van Dijk struggled in the Villa game, but he stands out these days because he’s head and shoulders above everyone else, which makes me wonder if that is hampering him at the same time,” Campbell told the Athletic.

“He’s the complete player in that position and has made it look easy, but maybe he’s not been challenged enough and then, like a cricketer being done by a slower ball, he’s come unstuck.

“If you’ve not been worrying about forwards troubling you, sometimes you drop your guard a fraction. It’s a natural human thing.

“Maybe that’s seeped in a bit at Liverpool in general. I’m sure Jurgen Klopp will recognize that and get them back on track.”

The former Arsenal and England center-back added: “It would be interesting to see if Van Dijk would have stood out had he been playing in our time when there were lots of great centre-halves: me, John Terry, Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Jamie Carragher, Kolo Toure, Jaap Stam, Rio Ferdinand.

“It’d be interesting to see how he’d fit in with all these guys. And we had Robbie Fowler, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Michael Owen, Alan Shearer, Duncan Ferguson all coming at us in very different ways, not to mention defenders like Matt Elliott, Steve Walsh, Gerry Taggart at Leicester. Big guys flying at you at set plays.

“You had your work cut out. You had to be on it, brave in the air, because if you weren’t they were pounding you.

“They were quick, strong, tall, skillful… every week you got tested. I reckon Van Dijk would be OK, he’d cope with that, but it would be interesting to watch. He’d certainly be under pressure.”