ReactionVirgil van Dijk: We showed great resilience once again
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk praised another resilient performance by the Reds in Thursday night’s 3-1 victory over Sheffield United at Anfield.
Jürgen Klopp's charges were forced to work for the spoils despite taking a lead in minute 17, as Darwin Nunez charged down a clearance from visiting goalkeeper Ivo Grbic.
The Blades levelled just before the hour due to a Conor Bradley own goal, with Gustavo Hamer's header in the six-yard box finding the back of the net via the defender's boot.
Liverpool, though, found a way to break down the visitors with 14 minutes remaining thanks to a stunning strike from Alexis Mac Allister from the edge of the box, and Cody Gakpo added a third via a well-placed header at the end of normal time.
Speaking to TNT Sports post-match, Van Dijk was left pleased by the Reds' ability to overcome more in-game challenges and earn another important three points to regain top spot in the Premier League.
"We could've gone behind quite early in the game," the No.4 said. "We have to start games much better, much more aggressive and that's something we have to work on.
"It says a lot about the team, the resilience, how we bounce back and how we could change the game. That's what happened today as well. Obviously going from a draw and changing it around in the last 15 minutes is a great thing and at this stage as well it's all about the points, you can't drop any."
Read on for the rest of the interview with Van Dijk…
On the victory and game overall...
Obviously when you concede at a late stage of the game it could get nervous, but I think we were in control. Their plan was obviously to get us on the break and we have to be aware and have to make sure the organisation is perfectly there and don't try [to] rush things. I think before we conceded the goal we were rushing a little bit and tried to find the most difficult pass.
When we conceded I think we changed into a completely different team and we started attacking and created a lot of chances. [There were] a lot more overlaps and a lot more difficult moments for them. Overall the nervy moments were maybe not as much as it looks from the outside.
On the moment Mac Allister scored...
It was quite nice! I was looking from just behind him and it was a great strike. He did it once so it's not lucky, to be fair.
On an 'up and down' first half...
It's never easy to play against a low block. You have to play fast; you have to get runners in behind and I think we were lacking a little bit in that sense. Obviously we scored a good goal with good pressing from Darwin but I think we could've done much better in that sense; all of us. It's never easy against a low block.
I think if you watch games of teams that play against a low block it's always difficult to break them down. We all know Sheffield United is fighting to stay in the Premier League and they will do everything in their power to stop us scoring.
On how influential Liverpool's substitutions were...
I think not only tonight but it's been proven all season that they have been stepping up and that's what we need. That's what every manager and players try for. We need everyone now. We had an intense game today and then tomorrow it's recovery and Saturday back in the hotel ready for Sunday and it's quite a big game. It's something to look forward to.
On being top of the table...
You don't want to have any dropped points. You don't want to have any slip-ups and what we can influence is only our performances and trying to win. That's the main focus. We can watch other teams at this stage but there's no point.
On his advice to the younger members of the squad...
I think keeping calm is definitely something I try to implement. I think the boys have been doing an outstanding job. It's a big credit to them but there will be moments when we're playing at home, like now, it's 1-1 and all of a sudden the defence started to get maybe a bit nervy and the atmosphere. But you have to stay calm and don't try to rush things.
At the end of the day, you have to enjoy it as well. I think that's the main thing. I think these boys are doing it incredibly and we have to keep doing that and let's see what it brings at the end.
