Dalglish asked to choose between Hansen and Van Dijk – his answer says it all | OneFootball

Liverpool’s greatest centre-backs are often compared, but it is rare that someone who played alongside Alan Hansen is also asked to judge Virgil van Dijk.

Dalglish on Van Dijk compared to Hansen

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images/Getty Images For The Premier League)

Speaking on The Overlap, Kenny Dalglish was pressed by Gary Neville to choose between two of the best defenders in our history.

The Scot resisted making a definitive call but hinted that the current No.4 may just edge his old teammate.

“He’s probably more physical,” Dalglish explained when describing Van Dijk.

“Once somebody wants to barge into him, it’s not a problem. So he’d maybe be a wee bit stronger than Big Al. But I’ll tell you, if you’ve got either of those two at centre back, you’re not going to be disappointed.”

It was a fascinating comment given Dalglish and Hansen remain close friends.

As Jamie Carragher joked during the exchange, our former boss is usually reluctant to ever commit to those kinds of comparisons, which makes his words about Van Dijk all the more striking.

Liverpool’s tradition of world-class defenders

(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Dalglish even recalled watching the Dutch international during his Celtic days, highlighting a moment when he ran forward from defence and scored a stunning solo goal against St Johnstone.

“He could do that. I never saw Hansen do that,” he added.

That memory only underlines the unique mix of athleticism and elegance that Van Dijk has brought since arriving at Anfield.

Sir Kenny was also full of praise for Florian Wirtz and these compliments from arguably the greatest man to ever represent Liverpool, for the current squad, will certainly mean a lot.

The German has also spoken about the importance of our captain for the club and it’s clear that he’s respected by Reds past and present.

For us as supporters, Dalglish’s verdict feels like the ultimate compliment.

When a legend who captained, managed and lifted trophies with the Reds says Van Dijk might even be stronger than Hansen, it shows just how highly the current skipper is regarded in our history.

You can watch Dalglish’s comments on Van Dijk and Hansen (from 1:13:25) via The Overlap on YouTube:

You can watch Slot’s full post-Galatasaray press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

Join our channel of readers on WhatsApp to get the day’s top stories straight to your mobile