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Ryan Babel has insisted Virgil van Dijk has a weakness which only he knows how to exploit ahead of facing Liverpool for the first time since leaving Anfield in 2011.

The Dutch forward returned to the Premier League with Fulham in January having rebuilt his career in Turkey following a number of false-starts after failing to live up to his potential at Anfield.

Earning a recall to the Netherlands national team in 2017 following a six-year absence as a result, Babel knows Van Dijk better than most after cementing his place in Ronald Koeman's side.

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The centre-back has been one of the standout players in Jurgen Klopp's side's Premier League title challenge, and is the favourite to win the PFA Players' Player of the Year award this season.

Having trained regularly with the centre-back on international duty, Babel is not surprised by Van Dijk's progression but believes he is capable of even more.

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And ahead of locking horns with his compatriot on Sunday at Craven Cottage, the former Reds forward has vowed to expose the defender's supposed weakness as he looks to derail his former side's title bid - despite wanting Liverpool to win the Premier League.

"Virgil has definitely developed over the past few years," Babel told The Times . "I think he can get better by 30 per cent. I still feel he plays on 70 per cent. He can do much more. He can be fast if he wants.

"He does have a weakness, I don’t want to say what it is. I don’t think in the Premier League anyone has made that aware yet."

He continued: “I do have a weakness for Liverpool and I do want them to be champions. I left Liverpool through the back door. It’s a prestige thing to prove people wrong.

"I was loved in Liverpool, I had good relationship with the fans and my team-mates but I felt I could do better.

"At the same time I was 21, 22, 23 — not every player has maturity and I needed the guidance I had at Ajax. What can you do if you’re not playing, what can you do differently?”