Virgil van Dijk has revealed details of his lingering frustration over a defensive lapse despite Liverpool’s strong start to the season. The Reds captain, while proud of Liverpool’s impressive defensive record, admits he’s still bothered by the goal they conceded against Wolves after a mix-up in the backline. Van Dijk’s comments come as Liverpool continues to thrive, currently sitting at the top of the Premier League, with the team’s resilience and defensive strength on display.
Virgil van Dijk Addresses Liverpool’s Penalty Issue
Virgil van Dijk claims he is unaffected by external expectations for Liverpool this season, as the Reds currently have the best defensive record in the Premier League. Their 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace on Saturday marked the team’s fifth clean sheet in seven league matches.
As a result, Arne Slot’s team enters the international break at the top of the table. Liverpool captain Van Dijk has played every minute of the league season, having conceded only two goals so far.
While recognizing the contributions of each player to their strong defensive record, the Dutchman prefers not to focus too much on this achievement, considering the season is still in its early stages. “We keep going and we keep working,” he told TNT Sports.
“We are never satisfied. We needed Alli [Alisson] twice, but that is what we try to avoid. Everyone is contributing to clean sheets.”
There are worries about Alisson, who had to leave the field due to what seems to be his third hamstring injury in nine months. The goalkeeper showed clear frustration while exiting the pitch and was spotted limping after the match ended.
“I think there is always expectation – whatever the outside world thinks of us, we don’t really care,” Van Dijk added. “We want to improve and challenge to the final day and be successful. We have got a lot of points, but we want to have a lot more.”
In the second half, Van Dijk faced a penalty appeal from Crystal Palace, who claimed he should have been penalized for holding Marc Guehi. However, both the on-field officials and VAR dismissed the protests.
Regarding the victory at Selhurst Park, the 33-year-old stated, “It is hard to come here. The results over the years are tight and close.
“I think obviously we scored a fantastic goal. We could have done better in the second half, but we knew they’d come out with a bit of pressure on the ball. It ends our run on a high before the internationals.”
“I’m struggling” – Liverpool star admits he hasn’t let moment go despite “everything going well”
Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk has expressed that he remains frustrated about the goal they allowed against Wolverhampton Wanderers despite the team’s victory in the match.
The defender spoke to Viaplay after the victory against Crystal Palace, which placed Liverpool leading the Premier League table by four points.
The Reds have had a fiery start to the season under new manager Arne Slot, who has effortlessly filled the gap left by Jurgen Klopp this summer.
This has resulted in six victories in seven Premier League matches so far, with the latest being the 1-0 win against Crystal Palace.
The most significant improvement has been in defense, as Liverpool has conceded only two goals so far against Nottingham Forest and Wolves.
The second goal was scored by Rayan Ait-Nouri in the 56th minute of the match at Molineux, resulting from a disastrous mix-up in Liverpool’s defense involving Ibrahima Konate and goalkeeper Alisson.
Fortunately, a penalty from Mohamed Salah secured all three points for Anfield that day, allowing the mistake to be quickly overlooked.
However, Van Dijk hasn’t moved on from it and acknowledged that it still bothers him when Viaplay inquired about Liverpool’s defensive statistics thus far.
“It should be one (goal conceded) because the last goal we conceded against Wolves was something I’m struggling with a little bit,” he said.
“We’re all trying to keep a clean sheet and have a bigger chance of winning. It sound cliché but we have the quality to score goals.
“But not only the back row, but the goalkeepers are also doing their best. Everything is going well.”
Stay on Top of the Game! Get the latest football news, updates, and insights delivered straight to your inbox.
Subscribe Now