It Could Have Been a Lot Worse” – Virgil van Dijk Reflects on Liverpool’s 2-2 Draw Against Manchester United

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk openly discussed his thoughts after the Reds were held to a 2-2 draw at Anfield against Manchester United. Despite taking the lead late in the match, Liverpool was unable to secure all three points and almost paid the price in the closing moments.

Harry Maguire of United missed a crucial opportunity to score a last-minute winner by sending Joshua Zirkee’s pass over the bar. Reflecting on the match, Van Dijk acknowledged that the result could have been far worse for Liverpool.

“It could have been a lot worse if we’re honest,” Van Dijk told BBC Radio 5 Live. “They had a big chance at the end, and it could’ve been a much tougher result for us. I’m disappointed we dropped points at home, but we have to move on.”

Despite a strong second-half comeback, where Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead after initially falling behind to Lisandro Martinez’s early goal, they were brought back to a draw by Amad Diallo’s equalizer from an Alejandro Garnacho assist. Van Dijk admitted that Liverpool struggled to maintain control after taking the lead.

“We found the 2-1, and then it’s about keeping control. But we lost the ball too often, and we were too open defensively,” Van Dijk explained. “We’re not perfect, and we’re still learning. This is another lesson for us.”

Although many expected Liverpool to win easily—particularly given United’s poor form and their position in the standings—Van Dijk rejected any notion that Liverpool had underestimated their opponents.

“That’s all media talk,” he said. “It’s nothing to do with us. We prepared for a very tough game, and that’s exactly what we got.”

Van Dijk also stressed that Liverpool is not focused on their standing at the top of the table but instead is concentrating on taking each game one step at a time.

“We look at the next game; we don’t look at the league table,” he added.

The draw means Liverpool dropped two important points but remains at the top of the Premier League. Van Dijk’s remarks indicate that the team is aware of its mistakes and is committed to learning and improving as the season continues.