Virgil van Dijk is not the player he once was, according to talkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy.
And in the wake of Liverpool's humbling Champions League defeat at the hands of Napoli, the radio presenter has called for a 'big boy pants' conversation about the performances of the Dutch centre-back.
The Reds have only managed to keep two clean sheets across seven matches in all competitions so far this season and found themselves 3-0 down inside 45 minutes on Wednesday, as their latest attempt to win a seventh European Cup got off to the worst possible start.
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Speaking about Liverpool's performance after the match, Cundy launched a stinging attack on defensive lynchpin Van Dijk and went as far as to suggest that the Premier League winner has only had two good seasons for the Reds.
Cundy said: "Sorry, am I missing something? Do you see the goals Alisson conceded this evening? Are you watching Van Dijk defend? Can we have an adult, grown up, big boy, put your pants on conversation about Liverpool? Because they're (supporters) happy to come on this station and laud it when they do this that and the other, but when there's a mistake it's 'this that and the other'.
"Put your big boy pants on and have a big boy pants conversation about Van Dijk. No one ever says it. They think he's the greatest centre-half this country has ever seen. The truth is, he's had two good seasons and they won one Premier League. He's had an injury and I feel for him, but the truth is he's nowhere near it.
"No Liverpool fan will phone up and say Van Dijk ain't the player he was. Do you know why? Because they've not had a centre-half like him since Alan Hansen and they're afraid to say it. Two years ago Van Dijk was the greatest centre-half this world has ever seen. Now you look at him, he's running in treacle."
Since joining Liverpool in January 2018, Van Dijk has made 189 appearances for the Reds, scoring 17 goals and winning almost every major trophy on offer to him, including the Premier League and the Champions League.
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