Virgil van Dijk dismissed claims Liverpool were fortunate to beat Burnley 2-0 and leapfrog Arsenal at the top of the Premier League – instead heaping praise on how the Reds have negotiated a tricky festive period.
Goals from Darwin Nunez and the returning Diogo Jota in either half sealed a first Premier League victory in three games for Liverpool after recent draws against Arsenal and Manchester United at Anfield.
However, Jurgen Klopp’s side were made to work for their victory at Turf Moor as Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott saw efforts chalked off by referee Paul Tierney for varying reasons against a relegation-threatened Clarets side.
It meant that after Nunez’s opener, the Reds had to wait until Jota, making his first appearance since November 25, put the game out of the reach of Vincent Kompany’s side with an impressive, acute-angled finish past James Trafford in second-half stoppage time.
Speaking to Amazon Prime after the game, captain Van Dijk rejected the notion that his side were fortunate to record a table-topping Boxing Day victory.
“I don’t think there was a lot of luck, to be absolutely honest,” said Van Dijk of the victory at Turf Moor. “It’s never easy and they play at home, they won their last game and have a bit of confidence as well. We have to be very good and ready to suffer as well and I think we were good. Also with the changes we made, like I said, this is the fourth game in nine or ten days so I’m very pleased with the result.”
Asked if the Liverpool dressing room will relish sitting above Arsenal in the Premier League standings for the next 48 hours at least, Van Dijk added: “It’s December so we won’t think too far ahead. I’m very pleased because it’s the last game for us of the year and now it’s time to have a little bit of time together with our families and then we focus on Newcastle. We will see. We will focus on ourselves and see by February, March how the table looks but we are definitely hoping to be up there, competing with the others.”
The Liverpool captain, though, was full of praise for Nunez, who curled a superb opener past Trafford within just six minutes at Turf Moof, ending his 12-game goal drought for the Anfield club.
“Well, obviously, as a striker if you don’t score for a little bit it could get in your head but I don’t really see that with the guys,” said the Dutch defender, assessing the Reds’ attacking power. “You see how Cody plays, for example, in the first half, outstanding. Diogo comes in and makes another goal, it’s really good to see and we have to keep pushing each other in order to stay hungry.
“We have the hunger in the team so let’s give it [our] all.”
