Van Dijk’s Liverpool career ‘almost over’ as Man City humbling prompts Carragher U-turn | OneFootball

As Virgil van Dijk scanned the Etihad pitch for someone to blame for his horribly clumsy tackle to set Manchester City on their way to thrash Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final, Liverpool fans the world over will have wondered if they were watching a legendary Reds defender in his end times.

Antoine Semenyo scored his 18th goal of the season and Erling Halaand claimed a hat-trick to take his tally to 33 as Pep Guardiola’s side put Liverpool to the sword to pile further pressure on Arne Slot as Xabi Alonso waits in the wings to take the reins at Anfield.

A trip to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday now looks even more daunting on the back of a performance in which an error from Liverpool’s talismanic defender saw them collapse and concede all four goals in just 20 minutes.

It was a decent touch from Nico O’Reilly to turn Van Dijk in the box but the Reds captain dived in to clatter into the Man City stars his right boot having been slow to note the danger in the box.

In typical fashion he bemoaned the decision of the referee, but Michael Oliver was left with no option but to point to the spot. It was a stonewall penalty; the fourth Van Dijk has conceded 46 games this season, as many as he did in his first eight years with Liverpool (319 appearances).

It was a relatively even game up to the point. Liverpool could easily have taken the lead had Mohamed Salah announcing his departure announcement had the desired freeing effect on the Egyptian in front of goal. He missed a penalty in the second half to compound the Liverpool misery.

Semenyo ran off the back of Van Dijk to score City’s second before Haaland made him look a right mug as he nipped in ahead of the Reds skipper to seal his hat-trick.

It was a game to forget for one of the greatest the Premier League’s ever seen and there have been far too many of those this season to boost the suggestion of us “know-it-alls” claiming Van Dijk’s “career is almost over”.

Dutch pundit Hans Kraay Jr can’t believe the criticism that’s been aimed at Van Dijk this season.

“In England, the analysts, columnists, and the self-proclaimed know-it-alls have completely lost their minds,” Kraay Jr said following Van Dijk’s goal against Norway during the Netherlands’ recent international fixtures.

“After four league matches this season, Van Dijk was dubbed the very best central defender ever in the Premier League. Four games later, and two Arne Slot defeats further along, it was more or less over for Virgil. In short: Virgil van Dijk’s career was almost over.”

But Van Dijk being one of the best Premier League centre-backs of all time, if not the best, and his Liverpool career coming to an end are not mutually exclusive statements.

Just over a year ago Carragher claimed that Van Dijk is “too good for the highest level of football”, but advice he once gave to Manchester United’s Casemiro may now be more fitting.

The Liverpool legend should consider “leaving football before the football leaves you”.