Very, very poor': Tim Sherwood slams Virgil vanDijk given strong message as Liverpool ‘bad spell’ addressed for Liverpool showing v Brighton

Tim Sherwood has laid into Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk after another nightmare defensive performance against Brighton.

The Reds had clawed their way back into the game and looked to be on course for an unlikely three points. But Leandro Trossard completed a memorable Anfield hat-trick to make it 3-3 and once again, Liverpool were under the microscope defensively.

was very, very poor. Just get back into position and get your body shape correct. He just sticks his left leg out for the clearance and the ball goes underneath, it’s a poor error for someone of his quality.

“The rest of the dressing room look up to him, he’s the leader and he’s got to lead by example and show a little bit more urgency,” Sherwood said on PL productions (via Liverpool Echo)

“It’s almost for me, I use the phrase ‘too cool to sweat’, and that’s what he (Van Dijk) looks like at the moment. He almost finds it too easy and he’s making poor errors because he’s switching off. You have to be concentrating all of the time, and if you’re not playing well make sure others around you are and organise them.”

TBR’s View: Van Dijk Needs To Be Better But So Do Others

At the end of the day, it’s not all down to Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool to keep clean sheets and defend well.

Sure, he’s been the rock for them in recent seasons but there is more to this Liverpool team and while Van Dijk isn’t at his best, others need to step up as well.

Sherwood does make a good point here on Van Dijk. But it is a team game and other Liverpool players have simply got to do more to help.