Virgil van Dijk picks out Liverpool's two toughest teams to face

Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk has as the Reds gear up for a three-way battle for the Premier League title.

The Dutch defender, who has been a key figure in all nine league matches under Arne Slot, sees his team just a point adrift of table-toppers . Liverpool is no stranger to chasing Guardiola's squad, having secured the league in 2020 and twice narrowly missing out on the title despite surpassing the 90-point mark.

This fierce competition has raised the bar for those vying for the top spot, reminiscent of the days when Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United and Arsene Wenger's would consider a draw a setback, thus forging an intense rivalry. Last season saw Arsenal emerge as a third contender under Mikel Arteta, until Klopp's men fell behind.

Speaking to Rio Ferdinand on the ' podcast, Van Dijk admitted that the shifting dynamics at the summit of English football push him to excel.

When quizzed by Ferdinand about the toughest teams he faces, Van Dijk didn't hesitate to mention Liverpool's primary challengers. "I would say in this case then the City and Arsenal, especially from last year, it's always tough against them," he shared.

"You know that if you're not focused for a second or slip up or whatever, you could get punished immediately. But that's the beauty of the Premier League anyway, you play against good strikers week in, week out, and then you have this year's Champions League back again. It's only something I really enjoy and it keeps me on my toes. I love it."

This was the sentiment expressed by Liverpool's star defender, Van Dijk. While many might have expected him to name City's Erling Haaland as his toughest opponent, the reality is that both Arsenal and City's dynamic attacking lines mean teams can't just focus on one player.

Bukayo Saka's goal for Arsenal against Liverpool last weekend serves as a perfect example, with pundit Gary Neville criticizing Van Dijk for not assisting left-back Andy Robertson. Last season saw Liverpool finish nine points behind champions City, winning just three of their final eight league games.

Under new manager Slot, Liverpool has made an encouraging start, but all three title contenders have shown weaknesses. Notably, Liverpool stumbled against Nottingham Forest, while City has conceded the first goal in four of their nine games. Meanwhile, suspensions and injuries have left Arsenal trailing Liverpool by three points, setting up an exciting title race.