Rio Ferdinand has questioned why Jamie Carragher suggested that Virgil van Dijk was a better defender than Nemanja Vidic, stating that the latter’s struggles against Fernando Torres were “a bit of a myth”.
Van Dijk has been criticised for a drop in levels this season amid Liverpool’s poor campaign and received scrutiny for his role in Arsenal’s opening goal in Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Anfield. After the game, Carragher responded to assessments of Van Dijk’s displays this term, mooting that the Dutchman had more quality than five-time Premier League winner Vidic.
Carragher wrote: "VVD is far better than Vidic, who was a top CB, but have you forgot his performances against Torres? Rio & JT had poor seasons in their career like all players, VVD is having one now. No CB in the PL era has ever had VVD’s impact on a team."
Many took issue with Carragher’s claims, especially the reference to Torres against Vidic. Former United centre-back partner Ferdinand was one of them, telling YouTube show Five how he was left baffled by the statement.
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He said: “I saw Jamie Carragher tweet something about Van Dijk being better than Vidic. I don’t know why, or why that was said or whatever. He mentioned [Fernando] Torres – I think Torres scored three goals in 15 games against Vidic. I think it’s a bit of a myth.
“I think he had a couple of dodgy moments in those games, and he got sent off a couple of times, but that’s kind of been amplified into saying he got tortured every time we played against Torres, which wasn’t the case.
“Three goals in 15 games. [Marcus] Rashford I think has got six in 13 games against Liverpool, does that mean he’s tortured Van Dijk and Van Dijk can’t handle him? I don’t know why Vidic’s name was thrown in there.
“People are hammering Virgil van Dijk about his performances this season, he’s had a bit of an off season – which he has, and I think he’d admit that. It’s mad. He’s prime time as well.
“The problem is he had a big injury, and that injury was one where people said, ‘Can he come back from that injury?’ Next season is going to be the telling one. He’s had this season to get himself fit, to get himself up to speed."
Ferdinand said Van Dijk has looked “a shadow of himself” this season, adding: “Liverpool’s defending… I don’t know what I’m seeing at the moment! I can’t get my head around it.
“Van Dijk has been the best defender in the world arguably for the last couple of years. He’s lost form, obviously. Him, Trent [Alexander-Arnold] they’ve just got to get back to basics. The way you get out of a rut like that is to just get back to basics.”
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