Liverpool’s £49M rated star has revealed that he could have done better this season following a poor start.
Virgil Van Dijk has been the standout centre-half in world football for the last few years but his start to the 2022/23 season has been anything but business as usual.
His personal poor performances have been matched by the team as Liverpool have lost to Napoli and Manchester United and drew three times and find themselves sixth in the Premier League table.
The Dutch captain has revealed his feelings about the season so far, citing that he knows he needs to raise his levels, for club and country.
❌️ Lewandowski
❌️ HaalandVirgil van Dijk keeping clean sheets against the World's best strikers 💪 #LFC pic.twitter.com/rHXcx4LRmP
— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) September 22, 2022
Van Dijk on his poor start
Speaking to the Athletic, he revealed how the poor start has weighed on him on the early part of the season and understands the responsibility as a key player for club and country.
“I know I could have done better in the beginning of the season. I’m not naive about that. I know very well when I make mistakes.”
“Mentally it’s a challenge. You feel a lot of pressure on your head. A lot of people forget that too, it’s not easy to do that.
“We all try to show our best and if, in my case, you are one of the mainstays at the club, then you get the criticism you deserve. You have to deal with that and that is not always easy. But I did that just fine.”
Virgil van Dijk has conceded as many penalties in seven games for Liverpool this season (2) as he did in his previous 164 Premier League and Champions League appearances for the club combined. 😲 pic.twitter.com/R016TJscDZ
— Squawka (@Squawka) September 7, 2022
His season has been poor by his high standards, with mistakes sneaking into his usual water-tight game. Before the opening game against Fulham this season, Van Dijk hadn’t given a penalty away in his Liverpool career and just over a month into the new season, he had conceded two.
It was a shock for fans, given his prior record, and some pundits had even said it was the first time they’d ever seen Van Dijk look ‘uncomfortable’.
Currently, on international duty, he produced a fine performance to keep one of the best strikers in the world quiet this week – Van Dijk won 100 per cent of his duels on the night and made five recoveries while looking comfortable and assured on the ball with 54 completed passes, 15 of which were in the opposition’s half.
It’s fair to say it’s been a poor start this season, but with players returning from injury and Liverpool’s midfield getting back to full strength, the pressure on their defence should subside and allow Van Dijk to return to his imperious dominating form.
