Former top flight attacker Garth Crooks has heaped praise on Liverpool defender Joel Matip for his impressive display at the back against Cardiff City.
The Reds returned to the summit of the Premier League table with a 2-0 win over Cardiff City in the Welsh capital on Sunday, courtesy of goals from Georginio Wijnaldum and James Milner.
Jurgen Klopp’s men maintained their record of being the strongest defence in the division with yet another clean sheet, as Virgil van Dijk and Matip stood tall to protect the visitors’ goal.
And in the wake of their win at the Cardiff City Stadium, Matip has come in for praise from Crooks, who thought the defender overshadowed Van Dijk with his performance.
The former Tottenham Hotspur star admitted the credit so often goes to Van Dijk, but stressed that Matip impressed even more against Cardiff with his defending and exceptional distribution of the ball.
“I don't normally look beyond Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool's back four when clean sheets have been maintained and matches won, but on this occasion I think I have to”, Crooks wrote in his column for the BBC.
“Joel Matip was superb against Cardiff and overshadowed even the brilliant Van Dijk.
“Matip's defending has been much more considered since the arrival of the Dutchman – but it's the quality of his distribution that has left me speechless.”
Liverpool will next face bottom-placed Huddersfield Town at Anfield on Friday in the Premier League as they look to continue their push for the title.
