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The Netherlands is always a team with plenty of focus on it from Liverpool supporters whenever an international break rolls around, considering how many Dutch players are in Dutchman Arne Slot's squad at Anfield.
Liverpool has four Dutchmen in its squad, and all of them started in the Netherlands' World Cup qualifier against Malta on Thursday.
Cody Gakpo had the best night of the lot, as he scored a brace in a 4-0 win, but Ryan Gravenberch also continued his impressive season with a great midfield showing.
Dutch outlet De Telegraaf awarded 7/10 ratings to both Gakpo and Gravenberch, stating that the former played a "key role" in the win and describing the latter as "by far the best midfielder for the Dutch team."
Virgil van Dijk was handed a 6/10, and the assessment of his performance was fairly critical from writer Wilber Hack, who said he made a "near-fatal error" in the first half, and also criticized the Liverpool captain for showing "too little initiative."
Jeremie Frimpong, who has had a slow start to life at Anfield, received a 5/10. In an assessment that Liverpool fans will be familiar with from Frimpong's admittedly short time at the club, Hack wrote: "He doesn't have a great cross and is far too hasty for a winger. After a good move, he often doesn't know how to follow it up."
Algemeen Dagblad's ratings were quite similar to De Telegraaf's, with Gravenberch also receiving a 7/10 from that outlet.
Gakpo received a slightly kinder 7.5/10, while Frimpong and Van Dijk swapped places, with Frimpong getting a 6/10 and Van Dijk getting a 7/10.
Writer Mikos Gouka pointed out that Gakpo's brace drew him level with Ruud Gullit in the Netherlands' all-time top scorer charts: Gakpo now has 17 goals for his country.
As for Van Dijk, he received further criticism for his error early on in the game, when his attempted pass to goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen ended up at the feet of Malta's Joseph Mbong instead.
Mbong placed his effort wide of the goal, but Gouka wrote: "It was painful that the Dutch captain had such a lighthearted moment in a team that is all too often accused of lacking urgency in matches."
Van Dijk also picked up a booking in the second half, which puts him at risk of suspension ahead of a crunch qualifier in Poland during the November break.
Next up for the Netherlands is a home qualifier against FInland on Sunday. Netherlands currently sits top of Group G in World Cup qualifying with 13 points, but Poland and Finland are not far behind on 10 points each.
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