Colossal Van Dijk uses his head
When Liverpool needed a hero, when all their other leaders had been sidelined through injury, Virgil van Dijk cast himself as the Carabao Cup final’s protagonist at the decisive moment. Earlier in the game, the Dutchman had cut a bemused figure after he’d been denied by a marginal VAR call. The ensuing debate over the offside on Wataru Endo might have haunted Liverpool on another day, but Jürgen Klopp’s youngsters sparkled to keep Chelsea at bay as the game went into extra-time and they needed Van Dijk to rise highest to rubber-stamp the Reds’ dominance. At the time of his 118th-minute winner, Van Dijk was about the only player left on the Wembley pitch capable of using his head. Having been a transformative signing more than six years ago, it feels apt that the defender should play such a pivotal role in this trophy success. Dominic Booth
