Watford captain Troy Deeney was impressed by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk's actions despite the Reds' defeat at Watford last season.
Liverpool 's hopes for an unbeaten league season went up in smoke when they suffered a shock 3-0 defeat at Vicarage Road to the relegation-threatened Hornets at the end of February.
It was the Reds' first defeat in 44 Premier League matches following the loss at Manchester City in January 2019, the club's longest ever unbeaten run in league football.
It also meant Liverpool only equalled City's record of 18 successive league wins, after the draw at Old Trafford the previous October.
Watford skipper Deeney, who scored the third goal at Vicarage Road that after a brace from Senegal striker Ismaila Sarr, has commented on Liverpool's Dutch colossus before.
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Last year, he light-heartedly said he 'hates' Van Dijk because "he’s too big, too strong, too quick, too good on the ball, loves fighting, a good head of hair.
"One of those guys that sprays on his top as well, so it smells lovely! When he runs past you, it’s like ‘I can’t catch you, but…"
Referring to win in February, Deeney said he was still amazed by Van Dijk's performance in Liverpool's defeat - not least his personal grooming.
Asked if there were any defenders he hated coming up against, Deeney said: “It’s normally Virgil! I can’t explain to you.
"The guy is 6ft 4, fast, has a great footballing brain, loves to have a fight with you. It’s everything, he’s got everything.
"We beat them 3-0 and he was doing his hair while he had the ball. I was like ‘that’s amazing’.
"We were winning and he was doing his hair mid-game, fair play to him! He’s very good."
The win over Liverpool was not enough to keep Watford in the Premier League as, following the resumption after the coronavirus suspension of the season, they sacked manager Nigel Pearson with two games left and were relegated to the Championship.
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