Virgil van Dijk, the captain of Liverpool, has spoken out about the red card he received in the dramatic 2-1 win over Newcastle United two weeks ago while on international duty
Virgil van Dijk has acknowledged that the red card he received in the dramatic win over Newcastle United two weeks ago was out of character.
After scything down Alexander Isak when the Swedish striker was through on goal, the 32-year-old Liverpool captain received his marching orders in the first half of the Reds’ 2-1 victory at St. James’ Park. After being told to leave the field, referee John Brooks instructed Van Dijk to ignore his orders, despite the fact that the decision was upheld by VAR.
After that, Van Dijk was seen arguing with fourth official Craig Pawson before Jurgen Klopp got involved. After being charged with improper conduct by The FA, the Dutchman eventually went down the tunnel and is currently awaiting his punishment.
Van Dijk, who was speaking at a press conference while on international duty with the Netherlands, acknowledged that the incident was out of character after reflecting on it.
He stated to reporters: That was unusual for me, but that was still the red card. I have only received one about four times in my entire career, and I have never received one at Liverpool before. Aside from that, I started the season well nonetheless.
“I’m healthy and strong. It was successful, in my opinion, against Chelsea and Bournemouth. The start went well, even with the red card. I can’t wait to come back.
Following the release of the audio of Van Dijk’s altercation with Brooks, it is possible that he will receive a longer ban. He could be banned for an additional match, according to other reports, which means he won’t play against Wolves on September 16.
After Jordan Henderson left the club to join Al-Ettifaq, Klopp gave Van Dijk the captain’s armband in the summer. Losing Van Dijk for an extra game would be devastating for Klopp.
After overhauling their engine room, the Reds also have a brand-new midfield, but Van Dijk is pleased with both his own form and the start that “Liverpool 2.0” has made to the season.
The home shirt that Liverpool will wear in the 2023/24 season honors Bill Shankly and the legendary Reds manager’s final season in charge at Anfield. The Nike shirt has a design in bright red with a strong white contrast on the cuffs and the color.
“Added he: “With Liverpool, we are in a kind of transitional phase,” he stated. Naturally, it is gratifying to know that the manager still views me as a member of the new team, or Liverpool 2.0, to put it another way. During the initial weeks of preparation, we talked a lot. That demonstrated trust in me.
“Over the past few months, I have talked to a lot of people around me. This is very important to my wife, but I also talk a lot to people at the club. As a football player, being self-critical and always looking for ways to improve things are the first steps. I already knew I was getting better by the season’s end.
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