Rio Ferdinand has delivered a gushing verdict on Liverpool defenders Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on BT Sport after their team’s 1-1 Premier League draw against Arsenal on Saturday evening.
The Merseyside giants went a goal ahead through a James Milner strike but a late Alexandre Lacazette equaliser ensured a share of the spoils in an absorbing Emirates Stadium encounter.
Speaking on BT Sport in the wake of the match, Manchester United legend Ferdinand was bowled over by the combination of centre-back pairing Van Dijk and Gomez.
“In terms of speed on the ground in the Premier League this season, Gomez and Van Dijk, they’re [two] of the top five pacesetters,” he said. “This game today, you need pace to survive and these two have got it in abundance. This is a mouthwatering back four.”
Virgil van Dijk ?
Joe Gomez ?“They could be one of the all-time great defensive partnerships.”
Martin Keown is a BIG fan ?? pic.twitter.com/nGdehW6azc
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 3, 2018
OPINION
When it comes to assessing defenders, England and United legend Ferdinand knows his onions. One of the all-time great centre-backs has been blown away by Gomez and Van Dijk this season. And who could blame him? So has everyone else who have seen the Rolls Royce duo purr through the opening three months of the campaign. The pair were outstanding against an impressive Arsenal side, drilled into a completely different outfit by the alchemist Unai Emery. They needed to be. Every time the home side looked like breaching the visitors, one of Gomez or Van Dijk were on hand to shepherd away the danger, stick out a leg or make a vital interception. Liverpool’s excellent, unbeaten start to the league season has been built upon rock-solid foundations. Van Dijk has transformed the backline since his arrival in January, and Gomez’s performances since switching to centre-back in the summer have been one of the stories of the season.