Former Liverpool captain Sami Hyypia believes Virgil van Dijk will prove this season he is once again the best centre-back in the Premier League.
The Netherlands international has faced questions about whether can rediscover the form which arguably made him the world's top defender prior to a knee ligament injury in October 2020.
However, there are signs the current Reds skipper is edging closer to his best with his commanding performance in the weekend’s Merseyside derby win over Everton another indicator of a return to his previous high level.
"He is one of the best in the business in the world," Hyypia said at a Nike Game On initiative which, in conjunction with the LFC Foundation, has provided more than 8,000 local schoolchildren with access to a range of sports.
"I think he has raised the standard with everyone expecting him to play at that level every time and that is very difficult.
"But he is doing well, he is a big part of our team and a big leader of the team so I think we all need to be patient and his best is coming.
"I think this season he has shown in some games he is still at the level and I have no doubts he will be the best centre-back in the league this season."
Despite their good start to the season there has been scrutiny on Liverpool’s defence, with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold now operating in a hybrid midfield playmaker role in possession and opponents seeking to exploit the space in behind.
The focus is likely to intensify following the news left-back Andy Robertson will be sidelined for three months after shoulder surgery, with Kostas Tsimikas having to deputise.
But Hyypia has faith in both Liverpool’s full-backs, adding: "Trent is like a midfield player. He can pass short and long and has the vision to see the passes.
"I think this role suits him well and when he is in the midfield position he doesn’t have that big distance to go back defending when we lose the ball."
On Tsimikas, who had an assist for Greece against Ireland recently, the former Finland international said: "I think he will get a lot of responsibility now and he has his chance to show what kind of player he is.
"Hopefully he is courageous and takes his chance. If that is not going to work then Jurgen (Klopp) needs to think of something else to solve the problem but I have confidence in Tsimikas that he can do the job."
Having come through a testing set of fixtures Liverpool sit third in the table, a point behind leaders Manchester City. With games to come against Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Luton – all teams in the bottom six – and Brentford before a late November trip to the Etihad Stadium, Hyypia believes the platform has been laid for another title challenge.
"The ambition is to win the league," he said. "As long as we are competing until May to be the champions I think we can say we will have had a successful season.
"The top four is always the minimum target to reach but everyone wants success and some trophies this season.
"It would be foolish to look at what the others are doing. We just concentrate on what we are doing and do what we do best and then we see what the result is."
Meanwhile, frustrated Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite bemoaned inconsistency in Premier League refereeing after claiming his side were denied "a level playing field" in the defeat at Anfield.
Ashley Young was sent off for two separate fouls on Luis Diaz in the first half but when Reds defender Ibrahima Konate, already on a yellow card for a foul on Amadou Onana, was not punished a second time for holding back Beto after the break the visitors were furious.
Liverpool captain Van Dijk admitted they got lucky that referee Craig Pawson did not show a second yellow card to the Frenchman, who was immediately substituted by Klopp, but with the score still goalless Branthwaite felt it could have given them a better chance of avoiding the 2-0 defeat.
"Beto has gone past Konate, he's on a yellow already, it’s a clear second yellow. I don’t know how it is not a second yellow," said the centre-back.
"He’s going right through the middle of the pitch, it’s one v one, it’s a blatant yellow but he hasn’t given it."
Asked if it was frustrating, Branthwaite added: "Exactly. That’s the problem. There’s no consistency throughout the refereeing. I’m not going to go too into it.
"If they get a sending-off it is back to a level playing field and it can be a different game but we are down to 10 men and against it all game because of the decision he has given not to award the second yellow to Konate.
"We’re up against it for the rest of the match. I’m not going to go into it any more."
The 21-year-old, playing in his first derby, was impressive in Everton’s rearguard action as they held out until the 75th minute before Mohamed Salah scored the first of his two goals from the penalty spot.
"Going down to 10 men didn’t help us but I thought we dug in there as a team," Branthwaite said.
"The decisions went against us and that’s something we as a team need to look at but we gave it our best when we went down to 10 men.
"We showed character out there not to go under, it’s a difficult place to come especially in a derby. We have to show confidence in what we’ve shown as a team, as a group.
"We have to hold our head up high with what we’ve shown out there. I’m just focusing on the next game (at West Ham) to rectify what we’ve done and get three points."
