Virgil van Dijk was reunited with Joe Gomez at centre-back and, after helping keep a clean sheet in the 3-0 win at Marseille, hailed his partner as “outstanding.”
While no longer the first-choice pairing, a family emergency forced Ibrahima Konate to miss Wednesday’s clash and prompted Arne Slot to turn to Gomez.
Gomez was strong and composed throughout, and speaking to TNT Sports after the game Van Dijk was full of praise for his fellow centre-back.
“First and foremost, my thoughts are with [Ibou],” the captain began.
“But I’ve played with Joe many times, and it helps that we are very good friends as well.
“I thought he was outstanding. The third goal, he was the one that started it off.
“Pleased for him, but pleased for the whole team. Everybody put a shift in. That’s how it should be, especially if you play for Liverpool.”
Van Dijk added: “Also, under the circumstances, a very good atmosphere, a stadium I’ve never played in before and I was really looking forward to it. Nice atmosphere.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, January 20, 2026: Liverpool's Joe Gomez (L) and captain Virgil van Dijk during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Olympique de Marseille and Liverpool FC. (Photo by Jessica Hornby/Propaganda)
Liverpool are now 13 games unbeaten after a comfortable victory over Marseille, but their win in France maintained another unbeaten run for Van Dijk and Gomez.
The long-serving defenders have now not lost in nine games when paired together at centre-back – an intermittent run that stretches back to their last defeat together in the 5-2 loss to Real Madrid in February 2023.
There is almost a feeling of nostalgia whenever they line up together at the heart of defence, and Van Dijk’s comments on their relationship off the pitch certainly aid their work on it.
MARSEILLE, FRANCE - Wednesday, January 21, 2026: Liverpool's players line-up for a team group photograph before the UEFA Champions League match between Olympique de Marseille and Liverpool FC at the Stade Vélodrome. Back row (L-R) goalkeeper Alisson Becker, captain Virgil van Dijk, Hugo Ekitike, Joe Gomez, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai. Front row (L-R) Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Alexis Mac Allister, Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah(Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
It remains to be seen if Gomez will be required at centre-back again on Saturday night when Liverpool visit Bournemouth in the Premier League.
All support will be provided to Konate in his sad absence and the No. 5 will be given all the time he needs to attend to matters away from football.
Konate should at least be assured that in Gomez Liverpool have a more-than-capable deputy, with the win over Marseille only underlining that, when deployed in a full-strength side, he can easily hold his own.