Virgil Van Dijk said he was not being arrogant after 0-0 draw against Manchester United
After Sunday’s goalless draw at Anfield between Manchester United and Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk insisted he wasn’t being conceited.
When the captain of Liverpool stated that only one team played to win, former United midfielder Roy Keane responded. Keane added, “He needs a reminder himself; he’s playing for a club that have won the title once in thirty-odd years,” calling the remarks haughty and disrespectful.
On a difficult afternoon where Liverpool had 34 shots but failed to score for the first time since April, Van Dijk argued there was honesty but no arrogance in his statements.
Van Dijk stated, “I like Roy Keane, so if he said that, then it’s fine.” “I know he could react that way, but he is Man United all the way through, and there isn’t even a hint of arrogance in what I said.” I think everyone who watched the game had the same feelings. We continue. The aggravating thing is that we had the chance to score, but we were unable to do so.”
The team led by Jürgen Klopp halted a streak of 34 straight games without a goal, tying a club record. They also tried 34 shots, the most they had done so since 2003–04.
Darwin Núñez, a striker, has not scored in ten games; Mohamed Salah, who had ten goals in twelve league games prior to November’s international break, has only one in the previous five; Cody Gakpo scored both of his league goals in September, while Luis Díaz has only scored once since mid-August.
In response to their bitter opponents, whom they had defeated 7-0 at Anfield in March, Van Dijk concedes that perhaps the players were trying a little too hard.
It was difficult to overcome the low block, he continued, “but maybe [we were] trying to force it a little bit at times and we could have made a better decision.”
“You push, you push, and you try to do everything within your power, but on that particular day, we were unable to make the correct choice in order to score a goal. We occasionally—I won’t say always—pushed things too far in an attempt to find a solution that wasn’t there, but that’s football.
Liverpool will face West Ham in midweek to advance to the Carabao Cup quarterfinals, a competition they won in 2022, so there is no time for them to reflect on the dismal outcome that cost them first place.
Van Dijk stated, “We move on, have to learn from a lot of moments, and we will, and focus on Wednesday.” “Let’s attempt it. It’s the first trophy that could be in play, and it will be a really difficult match since West Ham has excellent players right now as well.