WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 21: (THE SUN OUT,THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Virgil van dijk of Liverpool with Raul Jimenez of Wolves during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool FC at Molineux on December 22, 2018 in Wolverhampton, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Powell//Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Virgil van Dijk is arguably the best defender in the world. The Dutch colossus is an assured presence at the back, who has changed the way teams look at the Liverpool back four.
Strong, fast and with an excellent reading of the game, he has been a bane for the best attackers in the game. Now yet another Premier League star has thrown the Dutchman’s name into the hat for the toughest opponent he has faced.
As posted on Wolverhampton Wanderer’s official website (h/t Birmingham Live), star striker Raul Jimenez wasted no time in naming our No.4 as the best opponent he has faced.
“Van Dijk. Last season our battles were amazing and I had troubles with him in both matches and I think he’s a great player who is only going to get better.”
The 28-year-old Jimenez is a tough customer who has scored against the biggest names in the Premier League. The Wolves star has scored an impressive 39 goals and 18 assists in 88 appearances for the pack.
That record does go pale when he comes up against the Dutchman. In four appearances against Van Dijk, Jimenez has been able to score just once
. The lone strike came in January as Liverpool won 2-1 at the Molineux.Interestingly, Van Dijk has the same number of goals in as many appearances against Wolves for Liverpool.
Jimenez is the Wolves’ record signing and initially joined on loan in 2018. He made the deal permanent after a spate of impressive showings in the Premier League. He went on to win the club’s Players’ Player of the Season in the 2018-19 season.
The 28-year-old has been one of the stars of Wolves’ rise in the Premier League, with the club currently knocking on the doors of Europe’s top table.
The fact that Jimenez wasted no time in uttering Van Dijk’s name shows the regard in which he is held. Liverpool were mocked for spending big on the Dutchman. With each passing day, it starts to look more like a bargain.
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