Pundit urges Liverpool star to ‘pull his finger out’ and get ‘nastier’

The ex-Premier League boss has asked for more from one Anfield talent in particular.
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Sky Sports pundit Tim Sherwood has urged Liverpool talisman Virgil van Dijk to “pull his finger out” as the Reds continue to struggle for form in the Premier League.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have taken just 10 points from their first seven matches of the campaign, and are currently languishing ninth in the table. A defeat against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon would leave the Reds 14 points adrift of the league leaders.

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And while Sherwood has acknowledged the criticism that van Dijk’s defensive colleague Trent Alexander-Arnold has come in for this season, the former Tottenham manager is of the opinion that the Dutchman needs to significantly up his game too.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Sherwood said: “The huge player for me at the moment - everyone is on the Trent bandwagon, and he’s not defending well but going forward he is still magnificent in my eyes - but Virgil needs to pull his finger out. He’s the leader, he’s the person.

“At the moment, he’s playing at his pace - you can’t do that in the Premier League. I think he needs to show a little more urgency and leadership. I used to see him barking around at people - him and Henderson in the middle of the pitch - and that’s what I loved about him. He was a leader, he didn’t care who he was upsetting.

“At the moment, he just looks like he’s playing his own game. He needs to get a little bit nastier and stop being friends with his teammates.”