6 hours ago
29
Jeremie Frimpong was dropped from the Netherlands' line-up but there was still a strong Liverpool contingent involved as Ronald Koeman's side beat Finland 4-0 in World Cup qualifying on Sunday.
Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo all started the game in Amsterdam, with Van Dijk and Gakpo both getting on the scoresheet. Donyell Malen and Memphis Depay scored the other goals.
After facing criticism for his performance against Malta last week, Virgil van Dijk was back to his best and received praise from Dutch journalists. De Telegraaf handed Van Dijk a 7/10 in its player ratings, describing him as a "conductor who directs the Dutch national team."
It said: "When the players listen to him, things immediately run much more smoothly. Van Dijk is, above all, a very good defender. He's supreme defensively and so clever that he can intercept balls with seemingly playful ease. This is all thanks to his incredible insight.
"Generally, you can't catch him making mistakes. In attack, he's dangerous from corners and free kicks. He headed Depay's free kick beautifully into the net."
Algemeen Dagblad also handed Van Dijk a 7/10. Van Dijk went into the game with the risk of suspension hanging over his head, but he avoided a booking, which means he will be free to face Poland in a crunch qualifier next month.
Ryan Gravenberch was excellent against Malta but he was less impressive against Finland, receiving a 5/10 from De Telegraaf and a 6/10 from Algemeen Dagblad.
Putting it simply, De Telegraaf said: "You can have a bad day sometimes. Gravenberch is normally a very good midfielder," while Algemeen Dagblad said Gravenberch's performance was "solid, but not spectacular."
Gakpo bludgeoned in a great strike from distance, taking his tally to three goals and two assists in his last three appearances for his country.
Both De Telegraaf and Algemeen Dagblad made reference to Gakpo's importance to the national team in their player ratings from the game, with the former describing him as a "stalwart" for the team, and the latter saying he has been "the most striking international in recent months."
De Telegraaf said: "Gakpo is such a threatening player. He's almost unbeatable at speed. He has the ball, threatens out wide, and cuts inside. He also scored a stunning goal. That goal is truly memorable. His return to the Dutch team is incredibly high."
English (US) ·