2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Paul Gorst)
Virgil van Dijk reacts after Liverpool's 3-1 win at AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday night Virgil van Dijk has stressed the importance of staying level-headed after Liverpool bounced back from a shock defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday with a convincing 3-1 win at AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday. And the Reds skipper has urged his team-mates to block out the external noise and reaction to their results. Arne Slot suffered his maiden loss as head coach against Nuno Espirito Santo's Forest.
Callum Hudson-Odoi's winning goal secured the visitors' first win at Anfield since 1959. That surprise defeat, however, was quickly followed up by a much-improved display in Milan as goals from Ibrahima Konate , Van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai cancelled out Christian Pulisic's third-minute opener. Asked if the result was the perfect response to the reverse to Forest, Van Dijk , who is set to lead Liverpool out in this Saturday's Premier League home clash with Bournemouth, said: "Well, not after three minutes! But after that I think it was in so many ways, we stayed calm, played how we wanted to play.
"We knew it was going to be difficult and they waited for us to make a decision in the build-up so they could press us and we were patient enough in order to get the free man. "Whether that was Ryan (Gravenberch ) or Dom or even sometimes Macca ( Alexis Mac Allister ). And Trent (Alexander-Arnold) , as well, so I guess overall I am very pleased with the evening.
It is always a nice place to come so I am pleased. "Who's saying things are a disaster (when we don't win)? People from the outside, so what can you do about the outside? The only influence we have is what we do on the pitch. "You saw the reaction tonight and when you play the way we want to play instead of running around a lot, looking like we have absolutely no plan - like we did especially as we did for the last half an hour - then you can play for another hour and you won't score.
"We have to - and I said it after the game - we have to stay calm and focus on our targets but going back to that game, losing at home to Forest, no disrespect to them, just us losing at home is a reality check and a shock. It can't happen if you want to achieve things that I want to with the club. So today was a good reaction and now it is recovery, go home and Saturday is a big one.
"Of course that is pretty obvious (you need patience under a new manager) but in football you have to deliver today and tomorrow and if you don't then the pressure can pile up from the outside but we have to stay calm. "Obviously I have a big role in that, the manager has a big role in that and we as players have to show it on the pitch. I think today, especially after the first three minutes, we showed the reaction I like to see.
On to many more." The turnaround came thanks to first-half headers from Konate and Van Dijk, who steered home dead-ball deliveries from Alexander-Arnold and Kostas Tsimikas respectively before the break, and the Reds skipper talked up the importance of set-pieces at Anfield . "We try every game to be important at set-pieces," added Van Dijk, who is set to lead Liverpool out in Saturday's Premier League home clash with Bournemouth.
"I think the last game I had two chances and maybe sometimes it looks and sounds easier than it is. Me and Ibou are both 6ft 4, or whatever, and we should score every ball that comes into the box. "But sometimes you are double marked and obviously it is not always perfect, so you have to fight for it.
But today we were there and we can see how important it is because you saw today, Ibou's goal was big, my goal was a big help in order to get going for the second, so it was good." On the performance of Cody Gakpo , who caught the eye as one of two changes alongside Tsimikas, Van Dijk said: "Last year he played some great games too and I don't think we should forget that, in my opinion. "Obviously the last couple of weeks, apart from the national team, I know what he can produce and we all know what he can produce.
But when you play just one game a week, I think the players, in this case Lucho ( Luis Diaz ), did very well and you need to be patient and we need everyone to be at their best. Today as well with him, he can make a difference and Kostas with an assist. We need everyone and today was no different.
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