Rio Ferdinand says ‘underrated’ Liverpool player has a ‘better’ quality than Van Dijk – HITC

HITC
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Rio Ferdinand has claimed that Joel Matip is ‘better’ at passing through the lines than Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool, as he told Vibe with Five.
The Premier League legend added that Liverpool’s free transfer from 2016 is an ‘underrated’ player.
Matip has been Van Dijk’s regular partner this season, even though Joe Gomez has previously been ahead of him.
Although the Englishman has fallen down the pecking order since his long-term injury and it’s Ibrahima Konate who is now challenging Matip for starting spots.
Nonetheless, Ferdinand knows exactly what it takes to play out from the back and this is what he had to say about Matip.
“Matip’s underrated,” said Ferdinand. “He’s better at passing through the lines than Virgil. He passes through to the strikers much cleaner.
“But Virgil has got that big switch (of pace), it’s a bad weapon.”
Matip started Liverpool’s League Cup final win over Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday, with Konate coming on as a substitute.
The former RB Leipzig man also took a spot-kick during the drama-filled encounter in the capital, and just like the rest of his teammates, he did his job.
There’s no doubt that Van Dijk is the main man at the back, it’s just a case of who will be alongside him in the long term?
Will it continue to be one of the best free transfers in Premier League history? The new kid on the block? Or Gomez knocking on the door and reminding everyone that he is still here?
Either way, Liverpool’s backline is looking far, far better than where it was this time last season.
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