Van Dijk: I Had a Good Day

It was a much better Sunday at St. Mary’s for former Saints than it was for the current ones as Liverpool beat Southampton 2-0. For the most recent Southampton-to-Liverpool transfer, the homecoming went as well as could have been expected. Virgil van Dijk didn’t show any sign of nerves as he took the pitch this weekend despite the crowd (understandably) not making his return particularly welcoming.

“It was a bit strange to come back here and do everything the other way round, coming into the away dressing room,” van Dijk told the club’s website after the final whistle was blown. “But I enjoyed it; we kept a clean sheet and scored good goals. We should have scored more.”

The goals came from Salah and Firmino (who each assisted the other’s efforts). Firmino’s assist to Salah’s goal, in particular, was a dazzling moment in the game.

“It was fantastic, a great assist from Bobby,” van Dijk said about Salah’s goal. “You enjoy those situations.”

And after that goal, all Liverpool had to do for the entire second half was control the game and do their level best to not concede. And today, Karius, van Dijk, and the rest of the Liverpool defence rose to the occasion.

“As a defence and the holding midfielders — and everyone in the team — you just need to be 100 per cent focused and not concede,” he added. “Today it went well.”

“I’m just happy to get a win. It’s always difficult to come here — I know how difficult Southampton can make it. I had a good day. Now we’re fully focused on the Champions League.”