Virgil van Dijk has played down the notion that the postponement of the Merseyside derby was a fortuitous break for the team.
Despite a hectic schedule, Van Dijk made it clear that the Liverpool squad wasn't treating the cancellation as an advantage. He also emphasized that Chelsea’s recent push towards the top of the table, trimming the lead to just four points from Liverpool, has caught their attention at Anfield.
The Dutchman learned along with his teammates on Saturday morning around 8.30 am that the match against Everton was postponed due to Storm Darragh, affording a much-needed respite amid a grueling series of fixtures. Nonetheless, Van Dijk insists the interruption wasn’t seen as a welcome relief, particularly with a game against Fulham on the horizon following their last Premier League outing, a thrilling 3-3 draw with Newcastle United on Dec. 4.
Van Dijk acknowledges that the additional recovery time is beneficial, especially for Liverpool’s injury-weakened defense, but remains eager to get back on the pitch. The center-back voiced the collective focus among the Reds, saying they are prepared to take on any challenge and are definitely not discounting Chelsea’s title chase this season.
"We did not see it as a gift," Van Dijk expressed. "We wanted to play that game. I always want to play and get a good result but unfortunately the game did not happen and it was the right decision in terms of the safety for all of the fans. We will meet again and we have to be ready to face them.", reports the Liverpool Echo.
Van Dijk spent a relaxed afternoon with family instead of fixating on football, admitting that this personal time was paramount: "I watched the last bit of Chelsea-Tottenham and had a nice afternoon with my family, which was much more important than any of the games.
"I don't think [Chelsea] are under the radar. Obviously with the squad they have and the players they have. The players that can come off the bench."
Virgil van Dijk has guided Liverpool to the top of the table
Virgil van Dijk has guided Liverpool to the top of the table (Image: Getty Images)
He acknowledged Chelsea's inexperience but highlighted their capabilities: "Obviously we can talk about inexperience maybe but they have the quality, they have the players to make it difficult for any team and that is what they have been doing so they are definitely up there. I think they have shown it."
Reflecting on Liverpool's tight 1-0 Champions League victory over Girona, Van Dijk was candid about the team's performance: "Yes, job done. We made it a little bit difficult at times for ourselves. We relied on Ali (Alisson Becker) a couple of times too many in my opinion. But overall I think there were some good moments in the game and some not-so-good moments."
Looking ahead to the remaining Champions League fixtures, Van Dijk sees them as an opportunity for rotation: "[The last two fixtures] is still the Champions League. With the amount of games we could still play, it would definitely be an opportunity maybe for players who do not play as much. It is still the Champions League. Let's see what the manager decides."