Sometimes silence says more than words, and Virgil van Dijk’s expression after Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City summed up the situation perfectly. Speaking to The Independent after the match, the Liverpool captain remained composed instead of lashing out over yet another controversial refereeing decision.
“In football, officials make the decisive calls, and we just have to deal with them on the pitch,” he said.
“There’s no point in me talking about it. At the end of the day, we lost 3-0, and that’s what matters.”
He added: “Whatever I say about the goal will end up everywhere, and then the whole international break becomes about my comments on the decision.
“I’m focused on the fact that we lost. You can debate whether the goal should have stood.”
Van Dijk stays calm, frustration grows
His remarks came shortly after Arne Slot criticised what he described as an obviously incorrect decision, pointing to Chris Kavanagh’s history of questionable calls and the ongoing inconsistency in officiating.
The controversial moment occurred when Van Dijk believed he had equalised, only for the goal to be ruled out because Andy Robertson was judged to be obstructing Gianluigi Donnarumma — despite evidence suggesting otherwise.
Liverpool’s patience wearing thin
Van Dijk’s composed response showed maturity, but it also revealed a sense of exhaustion within the squad regarding constant referee debates.
Several major decisions have gone against Liverpool this season, and Van Dijk’s refusal to blame the officials feels like the move of a captain determined to keep his team focused.
Regardless of the controversy, the bigger truth is that Liverpool were outplayed at the Etihad — and both Van Dijk and Slot know that must be addressed quickly.
Leave a Reply