Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk was at his imperious best as the Reds triumphed over Manchester United in the North West Derby yesterday.

The Dutchman scored the opening goal with a powerful header from a Trent Alexander-Arnold corner, while he helped keep a seventh successive Premier League clean sheet. After the game, former Manchester United captain Roy Keane was quick to praise the centre-back’s performance:

“Beast of a player, beast of a man, my goodness what a player.”

Van Dijk, in partnership with the superb Joe Gomez, has helped tighten things up at the back for Liverpool in recent weeks. They have now not conceded in the league since the 5-2 win over Everton all the way back in early December.

Another bonus for Liverpool supporters was that the £75m man beat Harry Maguire in the air to score the opener. Considering the United captain cost £5m more than the Reds defender, he certainly showed onlookers who was the better defender in that individual duel.