Merson has ‘never seen’ anything like Van Dijk incident in Liverpool win over Everton
Paul Merson claims he has “never seen” anything like what he saw from Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool’s win over Everton in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday.
Diogo Jota scored the only goal of the Merseyside derby to take Liverpool 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League table in what turned out to be another controversial affair as James Tarkowski – who scored the late, late equaliser in the return fixture in February – somehow avoided a red card for a high, studs up challenge on Alexis Mac Allister in the 11th minute.
Jamie Carragher branded it a “shocking” decision by referee Sam Barrott and VAR Paul Tierney, while ex-Premier League official Mike Dean waved away the PGMOL statement after the game.
Later in the first half Beto missed a gilt-edged chance to give Everton the lead as his shot came back off the post after Van Dijk attempted to stop the Toffees striker from breaking clear but entirely missed the ball as he tried to boot it away.
It was an uncharacteristic error from Van Dijk and Merson could barely believe what he had witnessed as he reacted to the incident on Sky Sports.
Merson shouted “Goal! Oh no!” over his fellow pundits when Beto broke away from Van Dijk with ease before adding: “Oh it should be 1-0 Everton. [Abdoulaye] Doucoure goes to put Beto away, he doesn’t do it well enough but he’s still away. But Van Dijk comes across.
“He goes to kick the ball, misses it completely! And all of a sudden Beto’s in one on one with the keeper, hits it past the keeper, I shout ‘Goal!’ and it hits the post and bounces back.
“Oh my… I’ve never seen Virgil van Dijk ever do that in my life, he’s gone to kick it and swiped and misses the ball completely. Beto’s one on one, big chance, Arsenal fans, no.”
Liverpool remain huge favourites to win their second Premier League title after victory tool them 12 points clear at the top of the table, but having been dumped out of the Champions League by PSG and losing the Carabao Cup final to Newcastle ahead of the international break, Michael Owen suggested it’s a season that could leave players with a “bitter taste” before talking to Van Dijk after the game.
In a post-match interview, Owen asked Van Dijk: “I’m just thinking in terms of the season so far, if you’d have said at the start of the season you were going to win the Premier League I’m sure people would’ve been over the moon. However, it was building into something really special – how hard was it after a couple of big defeats in cup competitions to get your mind tuned back into the Premier League and to finish the season well?”
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Van Dijk clearly didn’t agree with Owen’s take, curtly replying: “So you’re suggesting the season is not going to be special any more?”
Owen said: “It will be, absolutely, it will be special, but I thought it could’ve been building into something very special.”
Van Dijk replied: “Well, I think we have to change that narrative a little bit.
“We’re fighting for the biggest prize of the season, we worked so hard for it, 20 teams are working so hard to be on top of the Premier League.
“We have eight games to go, we know what’s at stake, we have to go for it, we have to fight, we have to enjoy the whole ride and then let’s see. Like I said, it’s still looking very special in my eyes.
“I think what you said, at the start of the season, I think no one expected us to even try to fight on all four fronts, obviously we’re at the stage now where we’re still fighting for the biggest, and that’s the reality. It’s still a possibility that this season will be very, very special.”
