'Decisive players': Liverpool told they have an 'artist' and a 'king' playing for them in the same team
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Liverpool have seen improvement across a large number of players under Arne Slot’s tutelage this season.
The Reds already had top players within their ranks, but the arrival as Slot as head coach has bumped several onto a whole new level.
Perhaps the most eye-catching of these has been midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.
Gravenberch has arguably been Liverpool’s player of the season so far, going from a fringe performer under Jurgen Klopp to one of Slot’s key men.
The Dutchman has earned plenty of deserved acclaim for his displays, with former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel naming Gravenberch as the first name on the teamsheet.
The presence of a compatriot as head coach has likely helped Gravenberch during 2024/25. The same could also possibly be said of Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo. And according to former Ajax player Kenneth Perez, all three Dutchmen deserve immense praise.
Liverpool trio earn big praise
Alongside Gravenberch and Mohamed Salah, Van Dijk has been inarguably one of Liverpool’s best performers in 24/25.
Gakpo has turned up massively recently, too. It was not a surprise that when the Reds needed a goal against Manchester United on Sunday, their No.18 was the one to get it.
Former Denmark international Perez was one who tuned in for that game, and speaking to Dutch outlet Voetbalpraatt on the back of it, the pundit raved about what he had seen from each of Gravenberch, Van Dijk and Gakpo.
“It fills me with joy that Liverpool have three Dutchmen who are simply decisive for them,” Perez hailed via FC Update.
“But Van Dijk, he really is the king of Liverpool. I think Gravenberch is an artist. It is really an art the way he plays football, turns away. Then you have Gakpo, who is on his way to becoming an incredibly good player.
“But I was watching yesterday. Three decisive players at an absolute top club, that just makes you happy as a Dutch football fan,” he adds. “This was really… I enjoyed Virgil van Dijk so much.”
Liverpool’s Dutch delight
Given that Gravenberch and Gakpo had slightly difficult starts to life at Anfield, these are some especially pleasing comments from Perez.
The pair have had to battle their way into the starting XI and are now two of Slot’s absolute key men.
It is in contrast to comments from their homeland back in April 2024, when former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld delivered a withering assessment of both Gravenberch and Gakpo.
Nine months ago Westerveld described the two players as being ‘hit and miss.’ Fast forward to 2025 and the misses have largely disappeared, while the hits keep on coming.
As for Van Dijk, Salah may have one or two quibbles about being ‘the king of Liverpool,’ but the captain deserves to be in that same bracket at the very least.
