"Dutch Harry Maguire", "Pro Max version" - Fans claim Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk has been 'as bad as' the Manchester United captain this season

Football fans on Twitter were quick to compare Virgil van Dijk to Manchester United defender Harry Maguire after Ajax scored against Liverpool on Tuesday (September 13).

The Netherlands international allowed a shot from midfielder Mohammed Kudus to find the back of the net in the UEFA Champions League group stage fixture at Anfield. The goal leveled the scoreline at 1-1 just 10 minutes after Mohamed Salah's 17h-minute strike.

Van Dijk was seen with his hands behind his back as he tried to minimize the target in front of Kudus. The Ghana international, however, hit a rasping shot that hit the bar before finding its way past a hapless Alisson Becker.

Following the goal, fans on social media drew comparisons between Van Dijk and Maguire due to the former's performances this season.

The England international's regular mistakes were one of the major reasons behind Manchester United missing out on a top-four finish in the league last season.

Manager Erik ten Hag did not strip away the captain's armband when he replaced Ralf Rangnick this summer. However, he has dropped the Leicester City defender from his Premier League starting XI after the 4-0 defeat against Brentford on August 13.

Van Dijk has made a series of uncharacteristic errors this season, which includes conceding a penalty against Fulham in a 2-2 league draw. The former Southampton centre-back was at fault once again for failing to close down Jadon Sancho's goal-bound shot in the 2-1 derby loss against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Here are some of the best reactions from fans from Liverpool's win against Ajax. The Reds won the game courtesy of a late header from Joel Matip, but that didn't save Van Dijk from online criticism.

Virgil van Dijk highlights importance of Liverpool win against Ajax

Van Dijk was imperious in Liverpool's 2-1 win against the Dutch outfit at Anfield. Even with Ajax's goal, he was arguably well positioned to block any incoming effort from Kudus.

However, the midfielder's powerful left-footed strike was hit in a manner where it was impossible to block or save once it took flight.

The Dutch defender also looked dangerous from set pieces and could have scored at the hour mark when a free header was hit straight into Remko Pasveer's path.

Speaking after the game, Van Dijk highlighted the importance of Liverpool's win after a 4-1 defeat against Napoli on matchday 1 of the Champions League. He said (h/t ThisIsAnfield):

The Reds will now play next on October 1 in the Premier League against Brighton & Hove Albion.

About the author

Aniket is a senior editor for Tennis, Golf, Motorsport, and Olympics at Sportskeeda, having 4 years of previous experience. He is also a European and International football writer at SK, with over 2,600 articles under his belt. He started following football in 2004 after watching the Champions League semi-final between Liverpool and Juventus, and has been a Reds fan ever since.

You cannot convince him that Virgil van Dijk isn't the best defender to grace the beautiful game. Liverpool’s comeback against Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League quarter-finals in 2016 left a lasting impact on Aniket since it inspired him to get through a tough phase at the time.

An expert researcher with an OCD-like eye for perfection, Aniket follows matches closely to add interesting facts and statistics to his articles. He double-checks all information, uses only established publications as sources, and always maintains an unbiased tone in his articles.

When not writing, he enjoys playing FIFA and Forza on his Xbox. He also listens to hip-hop, classical rock, and electronic music, and enjoys watching Rick and Morty, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Family Guy.

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