Reflecting on his post-match comments following Liverpool’s Carabao Cup triumph over Chelsea, Virgil van Dijk expressed remorse.
The Liverpool skipper, who clinched victory with a decisive 118th-minute goal in extra-time, acknowledged his regret as the team continues to amass trophies before Jurgen Klopp’s departure at season’s end.
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After the game, Van Dijk stared down a camera in the changing room and he said: ‘They thought I was finished.’
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk has admitted to being affected by last season’s critical remarks about his and the team’s performance.
The 32-year-old defender has since voiced his remorse for the comments he made following their Carabao Cup final victory.
‘I shouldn’t have said that,’ Van Dijk said. ‘Because I don’t want to have the wrong intentions. That was part of the emotion coming out of me because there were so many emotions going through my whole body that day.
‘Last season was disappointing. Not disappointing in a way that I was bad. I didn’t feel like that at all; I was just below my standards and the consistency wasn’t there that I have had and set for myself in every game.
‘I fully understand the noise that came with it but I am a human being and not immune to any of that.
‘There was a bit of emotion that day but I shouldn’t have said that.
‘Maybe in one way it was good to say because it gets it out of me, but I don’t like noise around me. I like to play the game.
‘I just want to be the best I can because things have been going very well this season personally and big credit to all the team given the obstacles we had overcome.
‘I know I play a big part in that, I know I had to step up and I did, and I think after the little change we did last March [when Trent Alexander-Arnold adopted a hybrid midfield role] I am feeling a lot better.
‘The break helped massively in the summer and that brought me into good shape.’
