The Liverpool No.4 was at his imperious best once again during Sunday’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, not least when, with the score level five minutes from time, his quick thinking and positioning denied a clear two-on-one situation.
As they had in the previous six matches, Matip and Van Dijk began that contest alongside each other at centre-half – and the former therefore knows first-hand the effect the latter has on the team as a whole.
“He’s a great defender,” Matip told Premier League Productions.
“And being around him, I think everybody improves. He has had a big impact on the improvement.