Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has praised the club's "outstanding" centre half Virgil van Dijk.

Carragher lavished praise on the club captain after their impressive 4-0 win over Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday.

Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez both scored braces, with Van Dijk helping his team to a clean sheet.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Carragher said: "Last season, it wasn't just about him, we were looking at a team that was essentially coming to their end. No matter how good you are as a defender, and he is one of the best we've ever seen, certainly in a Liverpool shirt, you need protection.

"People in front of you, and Liverpool's midfield had just run out of steam - they'd been absolutely amazing for Liverpool but they had to be moved on. He'd played more minutes than any player in Europe going into the World Cup and then he got injured around that time but he talks about the criticism and the noise - for the four years before that, everyone was hailing him as the best defender in the world!

"You have to accept a little bit if you're not at those high standards when you're a big player like him, that's what comes with being the most expensive defender in the world.

"But this season, I think he's back to his best and he's had to be because it's such a new team - even that midfield in front of him is different now. It's a lot more offensive, MacAllister is a completely different player to Fabinho for example, so he's been absolutely outstanding."