Even Virgil van Dijk is entitled to a ‘bad day at the office’. But Liverpool would be wise to consider why the bad office days are coming thick and fast. And how they might cope when he stops showing up to work at all.

The Reds skipper, by his own admission, was poor against Villarreal on Tuesday night. He was already down one error before his biggest boob of the night after four minutes to gift the visitors an early lead.

Liverpool did just enough to bail out their bungling back line, making their ropey defending inconsequential to the outcome.

But Van Dijk’s performance was especially alarming. Of course, the skipper’s struggles are far starker because of his usual, imperious standards. But against Villarreal there appeared more to his dip than the simple slips or mis-steps that make him almost human.

Van Dijk just looked tired – in body and mind.

The Netherlands captain’s physical prowess is almost a cheat code, even when he’s weary. But on Tuesday night, the tiredness seemed to permeate more than just his legs.

His choices were questionable and sluggishly made. The latest goal he was directly responsible for – that’s four now in 2026, more than any other Liverpool player – showcased a bad decision and a weird failure to react to the consequences.

The header back to Alisson was never on. Van Dijk at his best would bring that hopeful hoik forward down on his chest and find a team-mate. Instead, he poorly executed an ill-advised move, giving Georges Mikautadze a sight at Alisson’s goal.

Perhaps more damningly, Van Dijk made no attempt to atone for his mistake. He plodded, seemingly content to gamble on Mikautadze’s touch – flawless, as it turned out. Even then, there was no effort to scarper back to cover the space behind Alisson, by now drawn from his line in a vain attempt to get his mate out of bother.

Villarreal’s second and third goals illustrated similar weariness from Van Dijk, even if no direct part was played in either concession. For the second, he seemed indecisive over whether to step out of the defensive line, and similar could be said for the late third. Both showcased a reluctance to engage. Which is most unlike a defender for whom, not long ago, the highest level was ‘too easy’.

What has changed? Simply put: Van Dijk is knackered.

At least, he looks it. And with good reason. The 35-year-old has played every minute in the Premier League and played a part in every Champions League game this season on the back of doing exactly the same last term too.

Only five older outfield players have featured in the Premier League this season, with only Pascal Gross and Adam Smith relied upon by Brighton and Bournemouth as much as Liverpool lean on their skipper.

Gross and Smith has recently had three weeks off during the international break. In which Van Dijk played every minute of four Nations League matches for the Netherlands to reach 100 caps. And in the summer, he featured in every minute of their World Cup campaign too.

For his club, it has been over three years since Van Dijk missed a meaningful minute of Premier League action. He watched a 3-2 defeat at Brighton from the bench with the title long-since won at the end of 2024/25. Other from that, Van Dijk was last absent in September 2023 due to suspension.

Is it any wonder he looks jaded?

Everything we know of Van Dijk suggests the veteran is not likely to ask for a breather any time soon. So Andoni Iraola needs to save their skipper from himself while giving due consideration to a prospect previously unthinkable: life after Van Dijk.

That may begin as soon as next summer, when his contract ends, and will prominently feature Jeremy Jacquet. Serving as an apprentice to the old master will doubtless stand the young Frenchman in good stead but the 21-year-old cannot be supervised indefinitely this season.

Iraola, unlike Michael Carrick right now, has options – if not as many as he might wish. Ronald Araujo would welcome a run at centre-back and Joe Gomez is available again after missing the start of the season, though Giovanni Leoni remains out of action.

No one is proposing that Liverpool now begin phasing out one of their finest-ever defenders. But to maintain something like the levels that made him such, Van Dijk needs and deserves an occasional breather.