Reaction'Bittersweet' - Virgil van Dijk's verdict on Liverpool's draw with Man City
Virgil van Dijk admitted to carrying a 'bittersweet' feeling after Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday.
After John Stones' first-half opener, a much-improved performance following the break saw the Reds equalise through Alexis Mac Allister's penalty and then create a number of opportunities to potentially take all three points.
Van Dijk welcomed leaving L4 with something to show but explained to Sky Sports post-match why he felt it could have been more. Read on for the captain's reaction…
On Liverpool's second-half display...
Obviously much better than the first 15, 20 minutes of the first half – every time they could find the free man in the pocket and we should have closed the middle a bit better to make it a bit easier. I think how we reacted is good. We had very good chances [but] unfortunately we couldn't convert the winner. But overall, bittersweet. Based on the second half, you feel like you should have won it. But obviously they had a shot on the post as well – we can't deny [that] with their quality they could also have finished [the game] off. It's so close after the game but it's a bit bittersweet at the moment.
On how well Jarell Quansah did...
Very well. It's a nice story. For himself, I think when he came in in pre-season, coming back from loan, I don't think he would have thought that we would play for the title and he's starting. He's been important. Every challenge that was thrown his way, he dealt with outstandingly. The sky is the limit, so he just has to stay humble and keep working hard and keep improving because there will be a lot of bumps along the road.
On playing in Liverpool-Man City fixtures...
Obviously City has been very successful with the titles they've won and I think every game we've played against each other has been very intense. Maybe there's one game that wasn't – maybe after we won the league and they hosted us after we won the league, that was a bit of a hungover game. But other than that, every game has been so difficult. They have quality all over the pitch and that's why they had won the treble as well last year – I respect that. But today the task for us was to win the game and do everything in our power to do that. We had chances in the second half, like I said, but to come away with a point is not a bad situation, so we have to just focus on what's next, be positive.
Like I've said many times in recent weeks, we have to just enjoy the ride. I said it to the boys, if you think back 12 months where we were and the struggles we had, ups and downs, the consistency that was missing, and look where we are right now. It's something we don't take for granted because sometimes in life, in football these things happen and I want to make sure we enjoy this as well, and I think [in the] second half we certainly did.
