Jude Bellingham, a star for Real Madrid, is one of the people who praised Virgil van Dijk’s valiant efforts in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup victory over Chelsea.
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Reds were plagued by injuries going into Wembley, as players like Darwin Nunez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, and Mohamed Salah were all ruled out of Jurgen Klopp’s lineup. A group of promising young athletes competed, and eight alumni of the programme took home medals.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
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Nevertheless, it was the seasoned club captain Van Dijk who set the example, as the dominant Dutch defender scored the game’s lone goal far into extra time. Prior to that, he had already had one attempt disqualified, but the Netherlands international proved he was unbeatable as he won his first trophy as captain at Anfield.
WHAT BELLINGHAM SAID ABOUT VAN DIJK
A number of athletes, many of whom have connections to Liverpool, were quick to praise Van Dijk on his outstanding performance in north London. In the social media post that the towering center-half shared, Wataru Endo and Ibrahima Konate were mentioned. Real midfielder Bellingham commented, saying, “What a player.”
WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?
With two major games coming up this week—a Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest and an FA Cup fifth-round matchup with Southampton—Liverpool will be hoping that Van Dijk does not have to keep carrying them for very long.