Virgil van Dijk has given his seal of approval to new Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.
The Brazil international made his competitive debut in Liverpool’s 4-0 win over West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday and the 25-year-old impressed as he began his spell in the English game with a clean sheet following a big-money move from Roma this summer.
Alisson’s commanding presence and skill on the ball is boosting the defensive players’ confidence, according to van Dijk.
The goalkeeper was brought in for a then-world record fee for a goalkeeper of £66.8m from the Serie A club, while the Dutchman joined the Reds in January from Southampton for £75m, a world record transfer fee for a defender.
Their partnership is off to a flying start, the 27-year-old central defender suggests, with van Dijk particularly impressed with the communication. He admits there is still plenty to build on.
“We speak a lot. He’s very vocal and that helps. It helps me and everyone in the back line. I think his presence is very good as well,” said van Dijk.
“He has a lot of qualities on the ball that help us playing. We’ve worked on it the whole pre-season and we’ll keep building and practising. There’s still a lot to do.
“West Ham was just one game. We can do a lot better in certain moments and it’s just the start. We’re trying to build something.”
Liverpool are 1.44 to win their second game at Crystal Palace on Monday, with Jurgen Klopp’s team 4.20 to win the Premier League title this season.
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