Former Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel believes Virgil Van Dijk has achieved his best form after becoming captain.
Van Dijk had a rough season last term, with many fans questioning if he was over the hill.
However, he was given the armband in the summer and has responded by finding his world class level again.
"When you lose players like Henderson and Milner, they are always going to be big misses, not only on the pitch but off it too," Skrtel told the Athletic. "But Virgil has really stepped up. He's the leader and the main man.
"I think the captaincy has helped him. You can see that with his performances. He's back to his best. After he had that serious injury, people doubted him but the way he's played this season has shown he's got so much left to offer.
"He's right up there with the best center-backs in the world. With the consistency he's shown, I'd love to see him getting individual trophies as well as lifting collective trophies with the team."