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Beth Lindop
Virgil van Dijk has shared that he spoke with Xavi Simons following the midfielder’s red card incident during Liverpool’s 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur . Van Dijk insisted that his international colleague did not mean to harm him.
Simons received a red card in the first half after a VAR review revealed that the 22-year-old had raked his studs down the back of Van Dijk’s calf. This dismissal allowed Liverpool to secure a crucial win, moving them up to fifth place in the Premier League standings, while Spurs fell to 13th.
“I don’t believe there was any intent to hurt me, but he did catch me and the referee along with VAR decided to send him off,” Van Dijk said. “I had a conversation with him. It was a private discussion that doesn’t need to be public.”
Although Liverpool claimed the victory, it came at a cost, as forward Alexander Isak had to leave the field shortly after scoring the opening goal. The 26-year-old appeared to be in significant discomfort following an incident with Spurs defender Micky van de Ven, leaving Liverpool concerned about the severity of his injury.
“Injuries are an unfortunate part of football, and I hope Alex’s situation isn’t too serious,” Van Dijk commented. “He scored an excellent goal, and it’s too early after the match to determine how bad it is. He will undergo evaluation.
“We all witnessed how painful it looked for Alex, but ideally, it won’t be too severe.”
Liverpool remains unbeaten in six consecutive matches across all competitions, though they almost conceded a last-minute equalizer against nine-man Spurs, who finished strongly.
Van Dijk reflected on the team’s performance: “The immediate reaction after the match was that the last five to ten minutes were chaotic. It wasn’t ideal, but securing three points is crucial. Up until our conceded goal, everything was going well. We need to analyze that final phase, but overall, I’m pleased, and we’ll look forward to our next match.”
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“When you concede a goal and the fans rally behind their team like they did, it’s challenging to make the right choices and find solutions. That’s an area we can improve, but I don’t view it as a major concern. We’re in a transitional phase, and improvement is key.”
Van Dijk emphasized, “Winning is always positive. Losing, especially for a club like Liverpool, is never acceptable. For us, it’s essential to stay composed and treat each game individually.”
“Today, we secured the win. Now we have a few days to rest. We’ll recover and prepare for our match against Wolves, which will be challenging. I watched their game against Spurs, and they will be a tough opponent. We must be ready.”
“First, we have to celebrate Christmas. Being with family and staying healthy are the most important things in life.”