Babbel explains why Van Dijk struggles weren’t his fault

“He has not had the best season, and not the best confidence either, but he’s still, for me, absolutely the tower at the back.”

That assessment feels fair when you consider how often Van Dijk has been asked to cover for mistakes elsewhere, particularly in a season where defensive stability hasn’t always been there.

Liverpool still rely on Van Dijk

Babbel didn’t stop there, highlighting just how chaotic things have looked at times and why that inevitably impacts even the best defenders.

“It was so easy to score goals against Liverpool – it was unbelievable – but he was, for me, the only one who had the feeling, ‘okay, he knows what to do’.

“The players around him were really putting in a bad performance, and so he ends up struggling as well.”

That context is important, because while the Netherlands international hasn’t always hit his usual levels, his importance hasn’t really changed.

Jamie Carragher praised both Van Dijk and Mo Salah for stepping up against Everton, reinforcing just how much we still lean on our experienced leaders.

Our captain’s own comments about fan protests show how much he understands the club and the supporters too.

And Babbel’s conclusion leaves no doubt about where he stands on the debate: “I hope he will stay because he’s a top defender.”

After a winner like that at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, it’s hard to argue against the idea that we still need him at the heart of everything moving forward.