Alan Hansen to present Premier League trophy to Virgil van Dijk and anoint his true successor
He won the league title eight times during his 620 appearances for the Merseyside club, lifting the trophy as captain three times. He also won three European Cups with Liverpool and was captain when they won the league and FA Cup double in 1986.
In an act of unparalleled humility, Hansen chose not to lift the FA Cup as club captain in 1989, instead allowing Ronnie Whelan to do so. Despite playing in the final win over Everton at Wembley, Hansen had only recently returned from injury and felt his stand-in should have the honour.
It is also fitting that Hansen is handing over the trophy to Van Dijk given that the Dutchman has proven himself the modern successor to the elegant centre-back. Liverpool could boast many brilliant and successful centre-backs since Hansen's retirement as a player in 1991, most notably Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher.
However, it was only when Van Dijk signed in January 2018 that the club truly felt they had signed Hansen's successor. If an all-time greatest Liverpool XI were selected, Hansen and Van Dijk would be the centre-back partners.
Hansen will be joined for the trophy ceremony by Mark and Jo McVeigh from the Owen McVeigh Foundation. Mark and Jo established the foundation in 2015 after the passing of their son, Owen, from leukaemia and have worked tirelessly on behalf of Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital.
A host of former Anfield legends will be in attendance this weekend, with former manager Jurgen Klopp expected to be among them. Klopp is back on Merseyside on Friday for a gala dinner on behalf of the Liverpool FC Foundation. He has not returned to Anfield since his emotional exit a year ago, but vowed to return when the title was won.
Liverpool have made the most of their chance to celebrate their latest title win after they were denied the chance to host a full stadium and city-wide party because of the 2020 pandemic, when Jordan Henderson lifted the trophy.
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