'Too strong, too rapid, too tall, too everything' - Brighton striker Neal Maupay on Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk

Striker Neal Maupay has admitted that he does not enjoy going up against Virgil van Dijk, as Brighton prepare to face Liverpool on the south coast this weekend.

The Reds will be looking to close the gap behind Manchester City back to three on points on Saturday afternoon, before the league leaders next play on Monday against Crystal Palace.

Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota may top the Premier League scoring charts currently, but it is a player at the other end of the pitch who concerns Maupay.

When the French forward was asked by Sky Sports if he had played against any world-class players, he said: "(Virgil) Van Dijk probably. The man is just too strong, too rapid, too tall, too everything. Just hard!

"This season when we played Man City I had a very, very tough game against [Ruben] Dias too."

Maupay is not the only Seagull to find taking on the towering Dutchman a tall order.

Former Brighton favourite Glenn Murray said the Liverpool star is a "man mountain" that treated him like a "12-year-old boy" as he moves his opponents out of the way.

Regardless of the plaudits for Liverpool's number four, Albion still managed to come back from two goals down at Anfield in October to draw 2-2 and leave Merseyside with a point - a match that Van Dijk played in.

But despite the rare sight of Liverpool dropping points at home, The Reds' imperious centre-back is still yet to lose a single Premier League game at Anfield.

Following victory against West Ham United last weekend, he set a new record of 60 Premier League home appearances without losing - a run that compiles of 52 victories and eight draws.

The previous record was held by Lee Sharpe who went 59 home games unbeaten for Manchester United.