A prominent Dutch journalist has claimed that Jordan Pickford is the cause of Virgil Van Dijk's decline.

Pickford famously went in for a rough challenge on Van Dijk in 2020, which resulted in the defender picking up a knee injury.

Van Dijk has fully recovered, but many fans and pundits believe he has lost a lot of his pace and quality.

According to journalist Henk Spaan, he has not been the same since.

Spann said: “There was a moment on the sidelines against Ireland when Van Dijk was walked passed by an opponent he would once have laughed at and taken the ball from without wasting a drop of sweat.

“Pickford's tackle on Van Dijk during Everton-Liverpool was called a leg breaker by Peter Crouch on live TV.

“Tony Cascarino compared Pickford to Roy Keane, who ended the career of Haaland (who went on to play), the Manchester City striker's father.

“I did not comment on Van Dijk's play with compassion on Twitter. I maintain that he's no longer the designated captain of the Dutch national team.

“But it is certain that Pickford, who did not even receive a card before his attack, is responsible for the demise of Virgil's career."