Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren surprised by Virgil van Dijk's start to life at Anfield since Southampton move

Dejan Lovren is surprised by how quickly Virgil van Dijk has adapted to life at Liverpool and sees promise in their blossoming partnership at centre-half.

Van Dijk has made six appearances for Jürgen Klopp's side since his £75m arrival from Southampton last month – playing alongside Lovren, another former Southampton defender, twice.

Though the Holland international has spent more time partnering Joel Matip in the heart of Liverpool's defence, he and Lovren looked assured alongside each other during last week's brilliant 5-0 victory at Porto in the Champions League last-16.

“To be honest I didn't expect that we would be so quick [to settle] together,” Lovren said after the win over Porto at the Estadio do Dragao. “But when you are a top centre-back I think it is normal and Virgil is one of them.

“Of course he needs some time to adapt because Southampton to Liverpool is different. But he understands what the manager wants, although sometimes I have to remind him also. I help him as much as I know.”

Lovren knows the challenges of adapting to life at Anfield having suffered a up-and-down debut campaign of his own during the 2014-15 season, but he is confident that Van Dijk will be able to count on the support of his team-mates.

“It is a difficult period sometimes to adapt but he is managing it quite well,” the Croat added. “Everyone is behind him and giving him support and he did brilliant today. Everyone from the back line and the midfield – I don't need to talk about the strikers.”

Klopp's Liverpool have previously been criticised for lacking 'game management', which was also seen as a problem that the signing of Van Dijk could address.

There were no such issues in Porto last week though and, with progression to the quarter-finals all but assured before the second leg on Merseyside, Lovren hailed the performance of his team-mates.

“We are a team who like to play high pressure and I think we did it quite well from the first goal,” he said. “It started from their goalkeeper, I came, [it went] to Gini [Wijnaldum], he tried to shoot and it is [Sadio] Mané's goal.

“This is what we need. The main point was that we managed the game all the time. They had maybe a couple of chances, they need to have chances as they are Porto with quality players, but in the end it was deserved, a quality win.”