Two of the most formidable strikers at either end of their careers have waxed lyrical regarding what makes Virgil Van Dijk so difficult to combat.
Sergio Aguero may be turning 32 next month, but he is certainly still in the top echelon of strikers in the Premier League.
In his long and distinguished career, Aguero would have come up against his fair share of quality defenders with their different ways of combating the Argentinian.
When it comes to Van Dijk, Aguero says he has a number of strengths which present a number of challenges.
The Mirror (via Goal.com) reported the Man City striker as saying:
“We all know Van Dijk is one of the best centre-backs in the world.
“He's strong, tall, has an incredible body,
“He's very strong face to face, he plays with his body.
“Also, given he is so tall, he has those long legs.
“It looks like he isn't fast but he is, because of his long legs – he can reach everywhere.
“Two steps from him are 50 for me!”
With City and Liverpool being the two standout teams in the Premier League over the last three seasons, the pair have gone head to head in a number of engrossing battles.
Even though he is a main rival, Aguero freely admits to respecting the skill set of the Dutchman.
“What I like the most is the way he is so smart when defending. He's not anxious when marking, he's very careful and patient. That makes it difficult for many strikers.
"In my case, I'm pretty fast and I like to dribble, so I need the defender to come.
“But if he holds he can wait for help from another defender. He's very good at this."
In contrast to Aguero, Erling Haaland is just making his way in the game but has made a stunning impact at new club Borussia Dortmund since joining them from RB Salzburg in January, scoring 12 goals in 11 games including a hat-trick on his Bundesliga debut against Augsburg.
The 19 year-old came up against Virgil in the Champions League group stages this season and was also glowing in his opinion.
“He is so good.
“He is powerful, quick, he possesses all the qualities.
“He is an incredible player."
And the best thing is that 'Big Virg’ is all ours.
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