Virgil van Dijk has taken aim at the 'nonsense' that has been spread about him and explained how Liverpool stopped Erling Haaland in Sunday's 1-0 win over Manchester City.
The Dutchman was back to his best as Liverpool claimed a huge victory against their big rivals at Anfield. Mohamed Salah’s second-half goal was the difference between the two sides.
Van Dijk never gave City striker Haaland a sniff during the game and produced a superb headed clearance in the dying stages of the match as Pep Guardiola’s side went in search of an equaliser.
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The former Southampton man has looked uncharacteristically vulnerable at times this season and that had led to criticism of his performances. But following the win, Van Dijk couldn’t help but take aim at those who had questioned him.
“There is more tension to it and personally in my case everyone is talking about me against him and if I can still do it. All this nonsense,” he told Viaplay Football. “So for me it was just about focus on the game and keep the focus on the game and try to win the game and get a good performance as a team.
“To organise everything around me and I think that happened today. I’m pleased and we are pleased and now we focus on West Ham.”
Ahead of yesterday’s game, Haaland had scored 20 goals in 13 matches as he exploded into English football like no-one before. And although admitting his respect for the forward, Van Dijk also explained how they managed to keep the City star at bay.
He said: “I have respect for every player and every player who has achieved as much as they do. We play at the highest level. These guys who we face have been through a lot. I always have respect for each one of them.
“Obviously we have played against each other many times now and it has always been a great battle. Today was nothing different.
“Everybody from the outside world wanted to put everything on the one vs one battle, but it was all about doing it together and stopping the service.”
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