The skipper was spotted confronting the official after Estevao’s first Premier League goal, as the young Brazilian arrived at the far post to deliver a crushing blow to the reigning champions in the 96th minute. ..Continue Reading
The defeat marked the first instance of Liverpool losing three matches in a row under new boss Arne Slot, with early-season struggles becoming evident as they relinquished their advantage over Arsenal ahead of the October international break.
It was also the second occasion in seven days that Liverpool missed out on a hard-earned draw in London due to a stoppage-time strike, following Eddie Nketiah’s 97th-minute goal for Crystal Palace the previous weekend.
Late drama has been a recurring theme for Liverpool this season. In their opening five fixtures, every win came after the 83rd minute.
Some might argue the recent setbacks are a reversal of fortune, but Van Dijk was clearly unhappy with how events played out.
According to Liverpool Echo, Van Dijk was seen engaging Taylor at the final whistle at Stamford Bridge, and later clarified that he was questioning the duration of second-half stoppage time.
The 34-year-old said: “I saw the celebrations [for Estevao’s winning goal], and rightly so. But I thought the celebrations went over two minutes, so I looked at the clock when he blew his whistle – it was 98.
“I was thinking: ‘How is that possible?’ I was just asking a very polite question at that point – I’m not angry or aggressive. I was just asking where the logic behind it is.”
“But that is not where the main focus should be,” the captain then added. “We should improve. That should be the main focus. We know even more than ever and the good thing is we have opportunities to do so when we come back.”
Liverpool now have just under a fortnight to regroup before their next match, as they get ready to host Manchester United at Anfield, with the international break offering a pause in what has been a turbulent start to the campaign.
There’s a sense that Slot’s men will eventually hit their stride, but for now, the manager is still experimenting with his strongest lineup, while the summer arrivals continue to adapt following a transfer window in which the club’s leadership moved away from their usual cautious strategy, investing over £400 million and reshaping the squad with 15 new faces.
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