Virgil van Dijk has delivered his verdict on a controversial refereeing decision during Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Anfield.
Manchester United earned a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Liverpool in their Premier League clash, with Harry Maguire scoring a dramatic late header to seal the win.
United made the perfect start at Anfield, taking the lead just 65 seconds in when Amad set up Bryan Mbeumo for the opener.
Ruben Amorim’s side were soon forced to withstand heavy pressure from Liverpool, surviving a scare when the post came to their rescue and goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced a crucial save.
The visitors looked dangerous on the counter and could have doubled their advantage, with Bruno Fernandes coming close from the edge of the box. However, Liverpool eventually found an equaliser late in the second half.
Just when it seemed United would have to settle for a point, Maguire rose highest to power home a header in the dying minutes, clinching a vital and memorable win for Amorim’s men.
Van Dijk delivers verdict on controversial referee decision
The opening goal at Anfield had some controversy surrounding it as Michael Oliver did not stop play for a head injury on Alexis Mac Allister.
The Argentine suffered a head injury after being elbowed by his own captain, Virgil van Dijk, and it would have been ridiculous for play to be stopped when United were attacking in a dangerous position.
While many Liverpool fans were angered, Van Dijk downplayed the decision when speaking to Sky Sports after the game.
“I think the ball went long, first header was a United player, second by me. My elbow hit the player and he goes down and I went down. That angle it was difficult to score and he did. There was plenty of football left to be played [and score] and we didn’t,” he said.
“We need to stay humble and stay working and keep our confidence as high as possible. When things get tough, it is important we keep the mentality of being there for each other. It is a long season.”
United need to build on Liverpool win
United deserved to win the game and Amorim’s side getting over the line was crucial for the manager and players ahead of an important period.
In any game against Liverpool, you will have to ride some luck and the Reds did that, but they also defended very well and provided some quality moments in attack.
Read More: Player Ratings: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester United (Premier League)
Maguire’s header at Anfield will be a memorable moment for United fans, and there is now hope that it can be a springboard for more consistent results.
United’s problem has been replicating these kind of performances in smaller games, and that needs to change now.
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