Reaction'Hopefully it will be fine' - Virgil van Dijk on FA Cup final injury
Virgil van Dijk said a twinge in his knee was the reason he was forced off ahead of extra-time in Liverpool's penalty-shootout Emirates FA Cup triumph over Chelsea.
FA Cup final: Extended highlights
Jürgen Klopp's men lifted the cup for the eighth time in the club's history on Saturday, toppling the Blues on spot-kicks after playing out a goalless draw at Wembley.
Van Dijk was forced to depart ahead of the extra-time period at the national stadium and revealed afterwards it was due to an issue he picked up in the first half of the game.
"We're going to check it out," Van Dijk told ITV post-match. "I felt [it] in the first half when I did a sprint in the channel. I played 20 minutes, or something like that, with a little twinge behind the knee.
"I played on but, in the end, I can't risk it for the team and I need to trust Joel [Matip]. Hopefully it will be fine."
On the FA Cup victory, the No.4 added: "Obviously [it's] another trophy – a trophy we didn't win as a group yet.
"It's been too long, in my opinion, that the club won this trophy. It was a tough game for both sides. Luckily, we came out on the right one."
Kostas Tsimikas notched the winning penalty in the capital as Liverpool lifted their second piece of silverware this season, and Van Dijk was delighted for his teammate.
He added: "He deserves all of it. That's the guy – a good performance. Obviously he has others in front of him, so it's not easy to play, but he's top.
"It's massive for him. I'm very pleased for him, very pleased for the club and everyone."