Renowned football pundit Garth Crooks has named two Liverpool players in his Premier League team of the week.
The Reds were involved in a top-of-the-table clash away at Manchester City on Sunday, and were held to a 2-2 draw. Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane got the goals for Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.
Jurgen Klopp’s side remain one point behind Man City in the league table with seven matches left to play. The two teams will face each other again this weekend, though, as they battle in the FA Cup semi-final.
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As ever, BBC pundit Crooks has named his team of the week following the latest round of Premier League matches. The two Liverpool players that he’s included are Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane.
Crooks says he was impressed with how Van Dijk handled the magnitude of the occasion at the Etihad.
“I don't often select a defender whose team concedes two goals away from home but this is one of those occasions when I am prepared to make an exception,” said Crooks, when talking about Van Dijk.
“The Manchester City match wasn't a game for the faint-hearted. You need focus and nerves of steel to get through this sort of fixture and Virgil van Dijk has plenty of both.
“There was a moment in the second half when Raheem Sterling was one on one with Van Dijk and Sterling couldn't out run him, wrong foot him, or out-power him. In the end Van Dijk dispossessed Sterling and brushed him to one side.
“This was an outstanding football match with outstanding players and Van Dijk was the pick of the bunch.”
Moving onto Mane, Crooks says the Liverpool forward gave an impressive performance in the second half.
“We didn't see an awful lot of Sadio Mane in the first half but he was everywhere for Liverpool in the second half against Manchester City. You don't get a lot of fuss from Mane. He just gets on with it.
“These sort of games are so intense that they can often result in rash decisions being made by players and referees, resulting in a player being sent off. However, here was a game played in the right spirit, with tremendous commitment from both teams, and a referee who could handle the occasion.
“I can't wait for the FA Cup semi-final between these two teams next week. More of the same, gentlemen, please.”
Other inclusions in Crooks’ team of the week were: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea), Ben Gibson (Norwich City), Enock Mwepu (Brighton), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester), Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham), Son Heung-Min (Tottenham) and Timo Werner (Chelsea). No Man City players were included in Crooks' team.
