Reaction'A great three points' - Virgil van Dijk reflects on Liverpool's dramatic win at Newcastle
Virgil van Dijk labelled Liverpool’s dramatic 3-2 victory at Newcastle United ‘a great three points’.
The Premier League champions snatched all three points in the 10th minute of stoppage time at St. James’ Park on Monday night as Rio Ngumoha became the youngest goalscorer in the club’s history.
Earlier, Ryan Gravenberch had put the Reds in front, before Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon was sent off on the stroke of half-time.
Hugo Ekitike then made it 2-0 to Liverpool soon after the restart, but the 10-man hosts mounted a spirited fightback and, after Bruno Guimaraes had pulled one back, Will Osula equalised late on.
But Ngumoha came off the bench to win it in incredible fashion for Arne Slot’s side.
Read a summary of Van Dijk’s post-match interview with Sky Sports below…
On the game…
Obviously we all know it’s a difficult place to come… I think for us the disappointing part is that we conceded two off set-pieces and that shouldn’t happen. But overall, a great three points, move on and focus on the next one.
Obviously free-kicks, corner kicks and then the pressure gets on and they have the quality. I think if you look at all the traditional top six here last year I think there is only a couple that actually managed to beat them. It’s always a difficult place to come and it was today the same. I think I enjoy this type of atmosphere as well so I was really looking forward to it, but I think we could have made it a little bit easier if you don’t concede those set-pieces. Then you give them the boost, the drive and the feeling with the fans behind them, of course. But we managed to get the three points and we move on.
On an unforgettable moment for Ngumoha…
Yeah, for sure. I think it’s a dream debut for him. I think that whole attack was quite good… it was a perfect attack and we stayed calm towards the end as well, to try to find the right solution in order to score a goal and we did it. So, I’m very, very pleased for Rio. I’ve mentioned it before to him already: it’s only the start now, he has to keep working hard and stay humble but definitely you have to enjoy it because these nights you can’t take for granted, of course, if you are in his position. And I’m sure with the players that we have he will be back in training and having a hard session tomorrow again and then we carry on.
On how Liverpool will regain the rhythm they had when winning the title last season…
Games, that’s the only way. I think there were many good things today. Like I said, I think the beginning was very intense, it was expected – if you are going to try to show you are the best team on the ball they will come and attack you from behind and press with the fans behind them. So, we had to be a little bit more direct and at a certain point when the fans started to quieten down a bit then you have time to play and I think we did that well. Like I said, it’s a very tough place to come and with their fans behind them it’s always difficult to come here.