Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk says he will take the assist for the side’s last minute winner over Everton but understands how Jordan Pickford after his costly error.
LIVERPOOL — Virgil van Dijk has told ESPN FC he thought he had blown Liverpool’s last chance of winning Sunday’s Merseyside derby against Everton with the late shot in the final seconds which ultimately led to Divock Origi’s stoppage time winner.
Origi sealed a 1-0 win for Jurgen Klopp’s team by scoring in the sixth minute of stoppage time after Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford misjudged the flight of Van Dijk’s effort before it bounced off the crossbar and into the Belgian forward’s path.
Pickford’s failure to deal with Van Dijk’s high ball proved the decisive moment in the game and enabled Liverpool to claim the win which restored the gap to leaders Manchester City to two points.
“I was [angry with myself], definitely,” Van Dijk told ESPN FC. “It went so quick when the ball the came and I thought: ‘If I am going to touch it, the defender might come and press me and if I hit it one-touch, it’s just hope for the best.’
“I did against Germany [for Netherlands recently], so maybe that’s why it was in my head. But when I hit it, I thought, ‘Never again!’ and looked back to the defence. But then I turned round to their goal and saw the ball bounce on the crossbar.
“It was a crazy moment. It’s not an assist, but if you guys register it, obviously I’ll take it. I don’t even know what I did, but I just remember sprinting back so we were ready for the [Everton] break.
“It was a fantastic feeling to lead the boys out in such a big game and to get the win in the dying seconds is something sweet and special.”
England goalkeeper Pickford has been criticised for his failure to deal with Van Dijk’s shot, but the former Southampton centre-half said it was a tough moment for the Everton No. 1 following an otherwise impressive performance.
“He played a good game until that point,” Van Dijk said. “But I know, as a defender, that you can play 90 minutes pretty well and then, in one moment, you can be the worst player they have ever seen play.
“But he did well and it’s not nice and it’s not a good feeling to make a mistake like that.”
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