Virgil van Dijk is already exhibiting the confidence of a player right at home in this Liverpool team, according to Jürgen Klopp.

The Netherlands international turned in another composed performance at the weekend as the Reds defeated Newcastle United 2-0 to secure a fourth straight win in all competitions.

Van Dijk has settled into life at Anfield with consummate ease, providing a forceful presence in the middle of defence and offering an eye-catching range of passing when in possession.

That skillset is what persuaded Klopp to recruit the centre-back, of course. But the manager is delighted with how quickly the No.4 has imposed himself on the side.

“He’s just a good lad, to be honest. That’s the most important thing,” he told Liverpoolfc.com.

“We bought him not because he is a good lad but because he is a good footballer. But being a good lad helps a lot to settle in the team immediately – and that’s what he did.

“That he is a good footballer, there was no doubt. Our other four centre-halves are good footballers as well. It only helps. When you have a lot of possession, you need this kind of passing skills in defenders.

“His body language is brilliant, to be honest. He looks like a leader, like a warrior, already like a Liverpool player – that’s good news.

“Of course he has helped us, that’s why we brought him in.”