While Liverpool’s season has gotten off to a bright start, the same can’t be said for their early-season captain, Virgil van Dijk. The Dutchman was made captain after Jordan Henderson was shipped off to Steven Gerrard’s new side in Saudi Arabia, making him Liverpool’s first non-English captain since Samie Hyypia in 2003.
Van Dijk was sent off during Liverpool’s crunch Premier League game against Newcastle for his last-ditch foul on Alexander Isak, and his actions during and after the incident have led the Dutchman to be fined a huge sum besides the one-match ban he faces.
Virgil van Dijk issues public apology
Virgil Van Dijk has been given a new role in Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team, and he must treat it as the greatest honour of his life. The Dutchman let his emotions get the better of him during Liverpool’s 2-1 win against Newcastle, making his team play with one less man for most of the game. Van Dijk was sent off in the 28th minute of the game for denying Newcastle a clear goalscoring opportunity when he challenged Alexander Isak right on the edge of the penalty area.
The former Southampton defender was shown a straight red card, and while Liverpool came from behind to win the game despite having one less man, Jurgen Klopp must have been disappointed with Van Dijk for letting his team down. After learning his fate from the English FA, the Liverpool captain has issued a public apology.
“Following the announcement today, I’d like to make clear I totally accept the panel’s decision. It was the first red card of my Liverpool career, and I let my frustrations get the better of me in an intense and heated moment. Time to move on now, I will continue supporting the team in every way I can,” Van Dijk said in a statement.
Van Dijk suffers one-match ban and £100,000 fine
The FA has punished Virgil van Dijk for his actions against Newcastle, and his suspension has been extended by an extra match plus a £100,000 fine. “Virgil van Dijk has been suspended for one match and fined £100,000 for breaching FA Rule E3.1 during Liverpool’s Premier League fixture against Newcastle.
The defender admitted that he acted in an improper manner and used abusive and insulting words towards a match official after being sent off in the 29th minute, and the sanctions were subsequently imposed by an independent regulatory commission,” the FA said in a statement.
Can new Liverpool captain Van Dijk lift trophies with his team this season? Let us know what you think in the comments.
