Van Dijk ‘still no Ferdinand or Kompany’ after ‘arrogant’ display almost proved costly against Leeds, claims Agbonlahor

VIRGIL VAN DIJK cannot be put in the same bracket as Rio Ferdinand or Vincent Kompany after his "arrogant" performance against Leeds, according to Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The Premier League champions mustered a dramatic 4-3 victory against the newly-promoted side in a game with questionable defending throughout.

4

Liverpool were pegged back by Leeds on three occasions before Mo Salah bagged his hat-trick with the winner.

Van Dijk, 29, was also on the scoresheet when he headed home Liverpool's second from a corner.

But he was at fault for Patrick Bamford's goal when his flick fell into the path of the striker.

And former Aston Villa ace Agbonlahor believes the Dutchman - who was also branded "arrogant" by Jamie Carragher - still can't be put in the same category as other Premier League great centre-backs.

Van Dijk has transformed Liverpool since his £75million arrival in 2018, guiding them to the Prem title and to Champions League glory.

: "Everyone knows Virgil van Dijk is an unbelievable defender.

"But I felt yesterday’s performance was, from Van Dijk, arrogant; that flick he made in the goal he gave away, it felt like ‘we are playing Leeds United, it’s going to be an easy game and I can let my standards drop’.

“And in that game, he did [let his standards drop].

4

4

4

Most read in Football

RECKLESS

Horror vid shows how teen driver used phone 9 times before he left mum paralysed

TURNING RED

Abbey Clancy admits making pub romp ad with Peter Crouch was 'excruciating'

IN THE DOCK

Slowthai leaves court with wife Anne-Marie after 'raping 2 women following gig'

cobbles death

Corrie legend 'to be killed off' 40 years after debut in devastating story

“Even Trent Alexander-Arnold on the right was poor defensively as well.

“Van Dijk is a great defender, and he will be one of the greatest defenders to ever play the game, but when people start putting him in the Vincent Kompany and Rio Ferdinand bracket…

“I think people forget how good certain players were as time goes by.

“People forget how good Rio Ferdinand was in his prime; you wouldn’t even want to go on the same side of the pitch as him!

“It was the same with Kompany, and John Terry as well; you just wouldn’t want to take them on as you’d have no chance.

“Virgil van Dijk is an amazing defender, but you can’t put him in that category of Rio Ferdinand and Vincent Kompany yet.”