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Paul Merson believes opponents are already “scared” of Ruben Dias and has likened the Manchester Metropolis man to Liverpool kingpin Virgil van Dijk.
Dias arrived for round £62m from Benfica final summer time in a transfer that was not met with a lot fanfare, regardless of the payment.
Nevertheless, the 6ft 2in centre-back has been a tower of energy for Metropolis of their rise to the highest of the desk. Pep Guardiola’s aspect have conceded simply 15 targets in 24 Premier League video games and Dias’ partnership with John Stones has been integral to that success.
It’s not the primary time 23-year-old Dias has been in comparison with Van Dijk. Metropolis boss Guardiola agreed the comparison was fair earlier this month.
“Sure completely,” mentioned Guardiola when posed the query concerning the pair. “He’s not only a participant who performs good, he’s a participant who makes the opposite guys play good too.”
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was reluctant to match the 2, however he did not too long ago admit that Dias was a “good participant”
Sky Sports activities pundit Merson thinks Dias has been “completely phenomenal”.
“Ruben Dias is beginning to get a repute like Virgil van Dijk – gamers are scared to take him on,” Merson instructed the Daily Star.
“I wasn’t certain about him at first, coming in from Portugal the place the league is nowhere close to as sturdy.
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“I puzzled if he was going to be ok as a result of they didn’t should combat off 5 – 6 groups to signal him, did they? However wow what a signing.
“He has been completely phenomenal and he’s beginning to remind me of Van Dijk now. Each gamers have the identical worry issue about them.
“I see gamers wanting up on a dribble and pondering: ‘Oh I can’t beat him…
“Even when Metropolis performed Liverpool. Mo Salah did it. He solely needed to beat Dias one on one and he was away. However he didn’t fancy it.
“Metropolis’s Achilles heel was all the time that they couldn’t defend. However Dias has are available, John Stones has minimize out the errors, and instantly they don’t let targets in.”
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