Virgil van Dijk Lauds 'Phenomenal' Liverpool Front Three & Claims They're a Nightmare for Opponents

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is a rare thing in world football - a centre back who is pleased to see Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane lining up side-by-side.

Van Dijk is blessed to play on the same team as Europe's most lethal strike force, and relishes in the discomfort of the opposition defenders as Liverpool's holy trinity put them to the sword.

“They’re so clinical,” Van Dijk told the Telegraph. “You don’t need to give them a chance, because they are so lively, so sharp in front of the goal. With giving assists to each other, no one is selfish, everyone wants to do it for each other.

“The work they put in up front as well is phenomenal. It’s getting a bit under the radar - the work they do defensively. Obviously the goals have been unbelievable, but if you see them working for all of us that helps a lot. It’s a nightmare to play against those three."

Roma were in the embrace of that nightmare on Tuesday evening as Liverpool took a commanding lead in their Champions League semi final. Salah and Firmino scored two apiece with Mane netting the other in a 5-2 rout.

"If you’re a ball-playing centre-back who wants to have the ball, you know those three are going to keep pressing you, not once, twice, but for the whole game," added Van Dijk. "You don’t want to come up against those three.”

Van Dijk admitted it was disappointing to concede two late goals to Roma, but the Italians must resist the fab three while scoring three goals of their own on Wednesday if they are to progress to the final.

Liverpool face Stoke in the Premier League on Saturday looking to secure their place in next season's Champions League.