Virgil Van Dijk Wins His First Standard Chartered Player of the Month Award

It’s been a memorable start to the Premier League season for Liverpool. Jürgen Klopp has managed his team to the top of the table, taking maximum points from the opening four matches and conceding only one goal because Alisson had a little, funny momentary lapse of reason.

Liverpool’s offense hasn’t quite been turned up loud enough. Mohamed Salah hasn’t missed a step since last season but he’s wasted his share of chances in the opening fixtures. Sadio Mané and Roberto Firmino have also been in decent form so far but are yet to really hit their stride. It’s been Liverpool’s defense, lead by Virgil Van Dijk, that has really shone bright through the four games.

When Klopp let Ragnar Klavan leave over the summer, it was clear that Joe Gomez was going to get his chance at center back this season. But few would have predicted that the England defender would perform so assuredly.

Joël Matip was unfit to start the season due to some sort of injury that I’ve managed to forget about again. And Dejan Lovren returned from his post-World Cup holiday with an aggravated version of an injury he’s been dealing with for quite a long time and Klopp has decided to leave the Croatian defender out for as long as it takes for a full recovery.

Thus the Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez combo began and long may it continue. Van Dijk’s efforts to secure the four wins for Liverpool were such that the Dutchman was awarded the Standard Chartered Player of the Month.

“Firstly, I want to say thank you very much to everyone who voted,” said Van Dijk. “It was a great month for all of us, so a big thanks to everyone who voted for me.

“It’s my first one and I am very pleased to have won it, but almost everyone in the team deserved it this month; everyone has been outstanding, giving their all, and you could see that in the results.

“I’m very happy we’re doing so well at the moment and we need to keep going.

“I am enjoying every bit of it, but that’s all credit to everyone in the team – all of the players involved. It’s not only me and I would never take credit on my own. We do it all together and it starts on the training pitch.”

Liverpool have another tough match against Spurs on Saturday that will test Gomez and Van Dijk further. But I’m not really that worried about it. To be fair, I’m in the path of a hurricane so my mind is a little preoccupied. But I’m feeling pretty confident. And also I’m stocked with booze in the event of a widespread booze shortage, so I’m also feeling pretty enthusiastic. Go team.