Virgil van Dijk’s calm verdict says more about Liverpool’s ceiling than the scoreline

Why van Dijk’s honest read of the City defeat should reassure Liverpool fans Losing 3-0 at home rarely leaves much room for positives, but Virgil van Dijk’s assessment of the Manchester City defeat was refreshingly level-headed.

Liverpool’s unbeaten run ended at Anfield once Ryan Gravenberch’s second yellow reduced the hosts to ten men, and from there Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki turned a tight contest into a comfortable City win.

Photo: IMAGO | Anfield Index A captain who sees the game clearly Van Dijk’s description of the first half matched what most inside Anfield would have said themselves, plenty of intensity and a willingness to compete, without quite the cutting edge to turn pressure into clear chances.