Virgil van Dijk shared insights into Liverpool’s morale after they twice battled back from a goal down to secure a 2-2 draw against Arsenal on Sunday.
The Reds’ No.4, captaining the side for the 100th time, equalised Bukayo Saka’s opener with a close-range header in the first half of the Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Merino restored Arsenal’s lead just before halftime, but Liverpool dominated much of the second half, eventually pulling level through a well-crafted attack finished by Mohamed Salah.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Virgil van Dijk shared his immediate reaction: “It’s a very tough place to come, obviously teams have noticed that over the years.
“They created a solid team and make it difficult for everyone.
“Obviously it was difficult for them as well. I think to come back twice is a good thing. We take the point and we move [forward], that’s the feeling now.”
“You play here in London, they have the fans behind [them], they created some momentum of course, scoring the 2-1.
“You have to be ready to fight, and that was the message anyway before the game because we will have difficult moments, tough moments.
“Like I said, one point, we take it and we move now to the Carabao Cup.”
He added: “I think we kept the ball a little bit longer.
“That was problematic, in my opinion, in the first half.
“We couldn’t keep the ball longer than five times.
“Obviously it was a good press from them but I think if we kept the ball longer we could have created a little bit more momentum.
“The second half, we kept it longer.
“Obviously we didn’t create loads of chances but we were much more dominant, winning second balls and trying and trying and trying. Obviously it was a great goal [from Salah].”
Van Dijk’s second goal of the season provided Arne Slot’s side with their first equalizer of the evening, as the centre-back headed in from close range after Luis Diaz flicked on a set-piece delivery from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“It’s a little bit of luck that you need, a little flick from Lucho and I was there to tap it in,” he said of the effort.
“I try to just be important in every set-piece that we have, and obviously try to not concede – and we did that, so that’s very disappointing.”
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