Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says Virgil van Dijk is fit to face Southampton tomorrow night.

Van Dijk will line up against his former club having established himself as arguably the finest centre-back in Europe. He has proved to be worth every penny of the £75million Liverpool paid Saints in January 2018.

“That's what you expect, and what you hope for. If a player comes in you hope he makes the whole team better," Klopp said.

“He's so important for us, not only as a player but as a person as well. I couldn't say a bad word about him even if I wanted to. But on the other hand, he knows like all the others know, you need the boys around you.

“Usually defending is teamwork. That helps him a lot, and he helps us a lot.

“The boys up front are usually attacking, close the right gaps, give him the opportunity to show his strengths. If you put the opposition under pressure and they have to play the long ball, then the ball in the air is obviously a big strength of Virg.

“Yes he improved us, and I think he's improved as well since he is here. He's a different player to the one he was at Southampton.

“He was good there, really, really good, but with all the different games he played now, and being part of the Champions League quarter-final, semi-final, final, all that stuff, that all helps you as a player.

“And for a centre-half he is still young, there is still a lot to come. Hopefully he can stay healthy and everything will be fine."