Liverpool hero Mark Lawrenson has rejected claims Virgil van Dijk is on the decline.

Van Dijk has battled in his performances so far this season.

Lawrenson knows that the drop in form is just temporary - the issue, however, is that other key players are experiencing the same problem.

“Never ever tell me players don't read newspapers and they do," Lawrenson told Off The Ball. “The people who go on Twitter and slaughter Van Dijk are basically numpties. Yes he's not playing well, he knows he's not playing well.

“He knows he didn't play well at Old Trafford, he knows he messed up in one of the other games. The thing with football, you can't be absolutely outstanding every week and occasionally, your form drops off.

“The problem with Liverpool is, a lot of them, their form has dropped and that's why they are where they are in terms of the Premier League and Champions League at the moment."