Virgil van Dijk was keen to ensure Freddie Woodman got his praise after making his Premier League debut for Liverpool in Sunday’s dramatic Merseyside Derby win.
Van Dijk was ultimately the difference-maker on the Reds’ first appearance at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, nodding in a late winner to hand Liverpool a huge three points.
Things had looked to be unravelling after Giorgi Mamardashvili was injured as Everton scored a second-half equaliser, leading to third-choice Woodman being unexpectedly called upon. But after the 28-year-old calmly stepped in, Van Dijk urged the Liverpool fans to pay him his due at full-time.
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Van Dijk wants applause for Woodman
Woodman did not have an awful lot to do after stepping in for Mamardashvili, but what he had to do, the Englishman did it coolly and without fuss.
There was one hearts-in-mouth moment where it looked like he and Van Dijk may get caught in a miscommunication, but Woodman handled it and otherwise did well.
All eyes were on the captain and Mohamed Salah after the game, with Liverpool’s two legendary veterans winning the game for Arne Slot.
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Freddie Woodman is substituted on during Liverpool's Premier League match against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium
Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images
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But as they made their way to the jubilant away end at the final whistle, journalist Beth Lindop spotted a nice moment between Van Dijk, Woodman and the travelling Kop.
“Virgil van Dijk pushes Freddie Woodman to receive his applause from the Liverpool fans,” Lindop posted on X. “Not a sentence I thought I’d be writing today.”
With Woodman likely to be needed for next week’s match against Crystal Palace, he came in and delivered an audition to suggest Liverpool do not have to worry with him between the sticks.
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