Virgil van Dijk: We have the confidence we can beat anyone
Virgil van Dijk is eagerly anticipating the prospect of travelling to Old Trafford as a Liverpool player on Saturday – and feels he and his teammates will do so with a confidence they are capable of overcoming any opponent.
The Reds take on Manchester United in the lunchtime kick-off aiming to leapfrog their rivals in the Premier League table and move into second position.
And they’ll make the short journey down the M62 on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run that has also included five clean sheets.
“I’ve not been here for long, but I feel like we can beat anyone,” Van Dijk said while in conversation with Dejan Lovren at Melwood during an exclusive preview of the game for Liverpoolfc.com.
“It’s going to be a very tough game going there, and they have so much quality – but we do as well. It’s going to be a very interesting game.
“I’m looking forward to it a lot. I’ve been hearing so many stories about the game, about how big this game is. If you look at the table at the moment, it’s a massive game for both of us, the fans and all the people around the world who’ll watch the game.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it and I can’t wait for it to start.”
Liverpool’s rivalry with United is a long-standing one – and Van Dijk is already well aware of what it means to both sets of supporters to prevail in the fixture.
“It’s massive – the reactions I’ve had already from fans, [I know] it’s such a big game," he explained. "I feel that already, and have for the last few weeks.
“If you look at the table, you’ll see the number two spot is very important for both of us. We want to win the game – just like the fans, we want to do everything that’s possible to win it. I know that definitely how important it is for our fans.
“I’ve played in the Old Firm derby and that was very special - now I’m definitely looking forward to this game and seeing how the atmosphere is.”
As the conclusion of the Premier League season creeps ever closer, the victors of this particular game will strike a blow to the other side’s hopes of clinching a second-placed finish.
Just two points separate the teams in the current standings, with Tottenham another couple being Liverpool in fourth, and Van Dijk knows there’s plenty riding on the outcome.
“I think it’s very important,” stated the centre-back. “There are two points difference between us in the table, so it’s massive.
“They won the other night against Crystal Palace and every week it’s going to be tight – and this game is definitely boost one team or the other. It’s going to be a big, big step ahead of the last few games of the season.”