Virgil van Dijk has told Ryan Gravenberch to “stay grounded” despite his eye-catching Liverpool performances.
The Dutch midfielder has emerged as a key player for the Reds this term. He has played every minute in both the Premier League and Champions League under new boss Arne Slot.
And while Liverpool captain Van Dijk has hailed his compatriot for his displays, he has told Gravenberch to not get too far ahead of himself. Speaking after the weekend’s win against Wolves, the defender said: "(My message is) stay fit, keep going, stay grounded, and don't listen to the praise that much.
“Just stay calm and play well. He is playing with a lot of confidence with and without the ball. He has not had a lot of injuries and he is growing into it.
“He is very important and (Alexis) Mac Allister and (Dominik) Szoboszlai as well. It is a good triangle and they are still growing and learning.”
Gravenberch’s transformation is remarkable given the tricky time he had last term. The 22-year-old made just 12 league starts last term after a £34m move from Bayern Munich.
Asked about his improved form, he suggests that he is more at home in the team under new boss Slot as opposed to former manager Jurgen Klopp. He said: "This season I wanted to show myself again and I am really happy. He [Slot] put me in the starting 11 and gave me a lot of confidence. I think a team like Liverpool always has to be in the top four.”
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Meanwhile, Slot has also shared his verdict on Gravenberch’s impressive form. He added: “He’s just very comfortable on the ball, and with (Alexis) Mac Allister as well, that helps the team if you want to have a possession-based style of play.
“You want to have the ball; you want to keep it as long as you can. It always helps if you have two players that are so comfortable on the ball in the holding midfielder position, and the two of them can run as well.
“To be completely honest, that [Gravenberch's defensive ability] surprised me even a bit because I know him from the Dutch league, but I think at Bayern Munich and Jurgen did a real good job to make him also better without the ball, and that’s what we are taking the benefits of right now."
Gravenberch, Van Dijk and Slot will be hoping that Liverpool can extend their excellent form across what is set to be a hectic week. The Reds take on Bologna in the Champions League on Wednesday ahead of the weekend’s showdown with Crystal Palace.
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