Virgil van Dijk has spoken after an evening that none of us wanted to experience at Anfield against Manchester United.
Van Dijk’s message to Liverpool fans
Following our 2-1 defeat to Manchester United – a result that made it four consecutive defeats for the reigning Premier League champions – Virgil van Dijk took to Instagram to post an image of supporters at De Kop holding a banner that read: “Support and believe.”
The Dutch defender, now in his ninth season at Anfield, could not write further than these three words – but it said more than enough.
The simple message summed up the unity and resistance that is still needed as Arne Slot’s side look for form after a brutal few weeks.
United’s late winner came via Harry Maguire’s header, after Cody Gakpo’s equalizer appeared to end our losing run. It means Liverpool have now lost four for the first time since 2014.
It has been a challenging period for everyone associated with the club, especially given the huge expectations that arose after winning the title last season and spending almost £450 million on reinforcements including Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.
Leadership under pressure
Van Dijk’s post follows a thorough investigation into the team’s defensive problems.
Former vice-captain Jamie Carragher warned during the match: “Liverpool is simply not present at the races defensively. As long as they don’t solve that, they cannot win the competition.”
Meanwhile, pundit Craig Burley criticized the skipper’s body language, saying: “Van Dijk is not leading for me at the moment. He is blaming.”
The comments came after footage appeared to show the Dutch international being visibly frustrated with Milos Kerkez during the defeat.
But Van Dijk’s message feels like an attempt to rally both the dressing room and the fans. At a time when the results are painful, the words ‘Support and faith’ are a call for unity from the club’s oldest player.
With Eintracht Frankfurt and then Brighton next and questions being asked about how quickly the champions can rediscover their rhythm, the 34-year-old’s leadership – both on and off the pitch – will be crucial.
Van Dijk’s post reminds us that faith, not blame, will change things at Anfield.
You can view Van Dijk’s post via his Instagram account:
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