Virgil van Dijk believes Ryan Gravenberch is in “the form of his life” as the Liverpool captain praised the midfielder’s rise to prominence under Arne Slot.
The 23-year-old produced another standout display in the 2-1 win over Everton, scoring the opener and setting up Hugo Ekitike’s goal in the Merseyside derby.
Gravenberch’s influence has grown rapidly since Slot’s arrival and Van Dijk admitted that his Dutch teammate has become one of the most decisive figures in Liverpool’s midfield.
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Gravenberch’s evolution under Slot
Speaking after the derby win to The Athletic, Van Dijk said:
“It’s not just this season, he’s been playing like that from the moment last season started. Ryan is unbelievable. He’s very important to the way we play. He’s in incredible shape.
“He’s in the form of his life. He has to keep going. He’s still young. The expectation level will always be right up there and that’s what he has to try to reach every three or four days. It’s a nice challenge.”
The skipper highlighted how much confidence and maturity Gravenberch has gained since joining Liverpool.
From struggling for minutes in his debut campaign, the Dutchman has now become a first-choice midfielder, dictating play and offering a consistent threat going forward.
Van Dijk added that Gravenberch benefits from having teammates such as Alexis Mac Allister alongside him, which frees him to make forward runs and impact games higher up the pitch.
Reflecting on the 2-1 victory, Van Dijk praised Liverpool’s first-half dominance but admitted the second half required grit.
“It was a very good game. In the first half we were outstanding in possession. Scored two great goals.
“In the second half we were a bit sloppy at times and lost the ball in difficult places. Sometimes you have to fight and that’s what we did in the second half,” he explained.
The captain also singled out Hugo Ekitike, who netted Liverpool’s second goal:
“I’m pleased for Hugo. It’s what we want our striker to do. Against a very good Everton defence he did very well. It was a calm finish.”
For Van Dijk, the derby victory not only reinforced Liverpool’s perfect start to the season but also showcased Gravenberch’s transformation into one of the team’s key men.
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