Virgil van Dijk hopes Liverpool can be rewarded for any risk-taking this season
Virgil van Dijk hopes Liverpool can be rewarded for any risk-taking this season
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Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk admits the potential rewards on offer this season mean it is worth taking risks when the situation demands. Many managers faced with the problem Arne Slot had of seeing Andy Robertson sent off after 17 minutes with the team 1-0 down at home to Fulham would have taken off a forward to restore the defence and then try to eke something out of the game late on.
Slot, however, kept faith with the players on the field, briefly tinkering with the formation to operate with a back three with midfielder Ryan Gravenberch dropping back before settling on another reshuffle in reverting to a flat four with Joe Gomez on the right.
From that point the Premier League leaders not only pushed for an equaliser but for the win, and they were rewarded with Cody Gakpo’s diving header just after half-time, only to fall behind again when Rodrigo Muniz scored. However, Slot continued to push and substitute Diogo Jota, returning after an 11-match absence, made it 2-2 in the 86th minute, but the hosts could not force a winner.
“It’s a brave thing to do but it was the right thing to do because we have the quality to hurt opponents, even with 10 men and there was so much time left on the clock,” Van Dijk said. “It’s still a bit of a risk, but we got the rewards from it and that’s the main thing.
“We don’t want to be in the situation where you take that much risk but if you are 1-0 down, 2-1 down you have to. “The will and the resilience was a good sign as it was a lot more difficult than it already was, but we had to keep going for ourselves and everyone connected with Liverpool.
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