| VIRGIL | _ _ _ _ _ _ van Dijk, Liverpool's Dutch central defender (6) |
| DENISE | _ _ _ _ _ _ Van Outen, The Only Way Is Essex narrator (6) |
| AMY | Swimmer _ _ _ Van Dyken won 4 gold in 1996 Atlanta Games (3) |
| HELMER | Thomas ...... , Germany Euro 1996 Final-winning central defender (6) |
| DISTIN | Sylvain, French ex-central defender for Manchester City and Everton (6) |
| TYRONE | ___ Mings, central defender for Aston Villa and England (6) |
| CAHILL | Gary, English central defender for Crystal Palace and formerly Chelsea (6) |
| BARESI | Franco, Italian former central defender and sweeper who won 81 caps for his country (6) |
| VARANE | Raphael, French central defender who joined Manchester United from Real Madrid in 2021 (6) |
| ROMERO | Cristian, Argentinian central defender who joined Tottenham Hotspur FC in 2021 (6) |
| SALIBA | William, French central defender who joined Arsenal FC in 2019 (6) |
| NELSEN | Ryan, New Zealand former central defender who played for Blackburn Rovers FC (6) |
| DISASI | Axel, French central defender who joined Chelsea FC in 2023 (6) |
| STONES | John, Manchester City central defender (6) |
| NAYBET | Noureddine ___, central defender who ended his career at Tottenham Hotspur in 2006 having won 115 caps for Morocco |
| ACUITY | Keenness shown when seeing e.g. Liverpool's John Moores or Leicester's De Montfort? (6) |
| HILBRE | Or leave horrible outcome at Royal Liverpool's 12th (6) |
| BRIARS | Sounds like actor Richard is on Royal Liverpool's 6th (6) |
| RUSHES | Initial prints of Royal Liverpool's former 13th (6) |
| LENNON | Beatle after whom Liverpool's airport is named (6) |
