Liverpool lost 0-3 to Manchester City in this round of the Premier League's highlight match. Captain Van Dijk talked about related topics in an interview after the game.
- Regarding VAR's decision to cancel his goal and Liverpool's overall performance
There are always key penalties in football matches. This situation is inevitable, the referee team makes a decision, and both players must live with the results on the field. I see no point in discussing this from my perspective. The reality is that we lost 0-3 in the away game, which is undoubtedly a heavy blow.
——About the game process
The first half was really difficult. They used Bernardo Silva to drop deep to create a numerical advantage in the backcourt, allowing them to control the ball more calmly. It was difficult for our forwards to press effectively, but I don't think there was much of an actual threat. Of course (Jeremy) Doku's penetration was really good, which put Connor (Bradley) in trouble one-on-one. Overall we didn't have too many close calls.
We could have done better, especially in terms of ball control. The subsequent controversial penalties and penalty kicks undoubtedly fueled the opponent's momentum and forced us to hold on with all our strength. In the second half, we had a slight advantage in possession, but the pressing intensity was still far from enough - the team's coordinated pressing should have been better.
As I said before the game, the key is to maintain stability and keep moving forward. Losing is always painful, especially a 0-3 score. This pain exists in the hearts of every player. Now we will go to our respective national teams to maintain our condition and prepare for the tough battles ahead.
——As to whether this defeat is similar to recent defeats
It is difficult to make a simple analogy, because we have shown positive clips in this game, but we must know that the opponent is Manchester City at home. They can put any opponent in trouble. As I emphasized, the key is to reflect carefully after returning, maintain physical condition, and then continue to fight for stability.
There is no other way but to continue to look forward - this sounds boring, but it is the only option. We will never give up easily. It’s only November and preparations must be made for a long season ahead. I'm looking forward to it, but more importantly to repeat the performance of the first two games. This requires persistent efforts from the entire team.