Van Dijk breaks silence on Anfield exit following FA Cup victory
Virgil van Dijk has publicly backed Mo Salah to remain at Liverpool after the Egyptian winger’s decisive contribution in our 3-0 FA Cup victory over Brighton at Anfield.
The 33-year-old scored and assisted as Arne Slot’s side progressed to the fifth round, and afterwards our captain spoke candidly about both the player’s importance and his future, speaking to BBC Sport.
Van Dijk made his position very clear: “Mo is still a leader and important for me, as a captain, to have around and to have him on the pitch and his presence benefits the team.”
The Dutchman also addressed criticism surrounding the forward’s numbers this season.
“He always gives the team more than goals. There’s obviously a lot of focus on his goals at the moment because he puts the standards so extremely high, so when he doesn’t score as much he gets criticised.”
Van Dijk wants Salah to stay at Liverpool
Contract talk around the Egyptian attacker has never really gone away.
There has been speculation about a possible summer departure, especially with continued interest from Saudi Arabia, and Van Dijk admitted his personal preference.
“I always want Mo to stay because I’m a good friend of his and we’ve been through the highs and not-so-highs together for so many years.”
That comment carries weight because our No.4 himself faced a similar contract situation before extending his own deal.
The captain emphasised stability inside the dressing room and insisted nothing internally has changed.
“Mo is a very important Liverpool player who has set the bar extremely high. I can only say for us nothing has changed.”
Salah performance vs Brighton shows his value
The conversation came after a performance which reminded everyone exactly why the debate exists.
| Salah vs Brighton | |
|---|---|
| Rating | 8.6 |
| Minutes | 77 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Key passes | 4 |
| Successful dribbles | 3 |
Those numbers (via Sofascore) underline that his contribution goes beyond finishing chances.
The Egyptian forward created Szoboszlai’s goal with a brilliant touch and also won the penalty he converted, while his defensive work was also praised by Arne Slot after the match.
Slot said after full-time that Salah not only scores but helps the team defensively, something Liverpool increasingly rely upon within the manager’s high-intensity system.
Despite perceptions he has been below his historic standards, the winger has produced 2 goals and 4 assists in his last six appearances.
Van Dijk clearly believes the bigger picture matters.
He concluded: “There are so many things people don’t see what is important to try to become a successful team.”
Inside the dressing room, Liverpool’s leadership group does not see a declining player, they see a cornerstone of the team.
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The post Van Dijk breaks silence on Anfield exit following FA Cup victory appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.