Liverpool

Ragnar Klavan: 'Virgil van Dijk competition healthy for Liverpool'

By Jonny Whitfield, Reporter | 02 January 2018

Liverpool centre-back Ragnar Klavan says that the addition of Virgil van Dijk into the Reds' defence will provide "good" competition for places in Jurgen Klopp's team.

Liverpool centre-back Ragnar Klavan has said that the addition of Virgil van Dijk into the Reds' defence will provide "good" competition for places in Jurgen Klopp's team.

Klopp's side only had Klavan, Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren as defensive options before Van Dijk's £75m arrival from Southampton made him the world's most expensive defender.

Klavan, who turned in a last-minute winner in Liverpool's defeat of Burnley on New Year's Day, has welcomed Dutchman's arrival at Anfield.

"He is a good addition to our team. It is like it is for everyone - there is competition and competition is good for all places," the Estonian told the Daily Mail.

"It was good. We kept on fighting and got three points," Klavan said of the result over Burnley. "That's part of the game. Sometimes it goes in, sometimes it doesn't.

"Those were three really important points but I'm not really one who wants to shine in the light. It was a good moment for me and for the team to get the three points, which is what we came here for, and that's it for me."

Liverpool face Everton in the FA Cup on Friday, with the Merseyside clubs already having met in a 1-1 draw at Anfield this season.