Liverpool coaching staff are delighted with the preseason form of fit-again defender Virgil van Dijk.

It has been Van Dijk's attacking threat that has caught the eye of the coaches - and it was on show as he returned to match action in the 4-3 friendly defeat by Hertha Berlin last Thursday.

While the Dutchman brings stability to Liverpool's back line, it's his ability to propel his team forwards that can power Liverpool back into contention for the Premier League title this season.

Reds No2 Pep Lijnders has marvelled at the quality of Van Dijk's passing during the team's retreat in Salzburg, as they prepared for last week's test against Hertha, which saw the 30-year-old take the field in the 69th minute.

"Just now, I was walking off the pitch after this morning's session thinking the quality and speed of passes were outstanding," Lijnders told the club website ahead of the match.

"Virgil found Milner one time with a 'surprise' pass through the centre in behind… we stopped the exercise there! Always ending on a high! Haha, I love it!"

In the title-winning season, Van Dijk's was in the top one percent of centre-backs across Europe for long passes completed, managing almost 16 per game at a completion rate of 79.2 per cent, and through balls.