Virgil van Dijk has taken on a more important role since the departure of former captain Jordan Henderson, who left the club last summer to join Saudi club Al-Ettifaq, reuniting with Steven Gerrard. Van Dijk was appointed captain almost immediately, spelling his importance to the team, especially under Jurgen Klopp, who rates him very highly.
There’s no denying the Dutchman has quite hit his usual levels this season, but he now looks to have turned his season around after a resurgence in his form in the past few weeks. The Liverpool captain has now taken a swipe at his critics after leading Liverpool to another domestic cup triumph over Chelsea.
Virgil van Dijk silences haters with EFL Cup victory
Virgil van Dijk, just like Liverpool, didn’t have the best of seasons last campaign. The Reds went through a very short transition after looking burned out for the whole of last season, narrowly missing out on Champions League football as a result. However, things have been so different this season, with Liverpool challenging for all four trophies they’re currently in contention for, bagging their first yesterday against Chelsea.
The new captain, Virgil van Dijk, had a few words for his critics, who thought his form couldn’t be rediscovered after the forgetful spell he had last season. In a dressing room video posted by the club on X, formerly known as Twitter, Van Dijk threw a subtle dig at his critics. “They thought I was finished,” he said before giving a very cheeky look to the camera.
The Liverpool captain led a group of young boys to a hard-fought victory over Chelsea to lift his first trophy as the club’s captain. The victory was sweeter, considering how Liverpool won the game without the likes of Mo Salah, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Curtis Jones. The Reds’ injury situation worsened as they lost Ryan Gravenberch to another injury yesterday, making them finish the game with a team mostly filled with academy players.
Virgil van Dijk boasts three MOTM awards in finals
The goal against Chelsea was Van Dijk’s second in two games, as he also set the tone for an emphatic win in their last Premier League game against Luton Town on Thursday with a towering header to get Liverpool back in the game. His effort in the final yesterday earned him the Man of the Match award, making that his third MOTM award in a final for Liverpool since his big-money move from Southampton.
Remember, Van Dijk has appeared in some finals for Liverpool, three times in the Champions League final, with Real Madrid beating them twice and an eventual win over Tottenham in 2019. Klopp’s men also won the Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup in the same year to round up an amazing year for the Reds.
Virgil van Dijk’s first MOTM came in the 2019 UEFA Champions League final after the 2-0 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur. The remaining two awards have come in the Carabao Cup against the same opponent, Chelsea. Van Dijk’s goal proved to be the winner yesterday, and his importance to the team continues to grow after another impressive display.
