Virgil van Dijk delivered two messages following Liverpool’s win against Everton, one of which was a heartfelt tribute to team-mate Mohamed Salah. Both Van Dijk and Salah found the net as the Reds secured a 2-1 triumph in the Merseyside derby on Sunday afternoon.
The result keeps Liverpool in fifth position in the Premier League standings and stretches their lead over sixth-placed Chelsea to seven points with five games remaining. Arne Slot‘s side now hold a commanding advantage in the race for Champions League qualification, with Van Dijk’s stoppage-time header at Hill Dickinson Stadium proving decisive for Liverpool.
Van Dijk subsequently shared a two-word message on Instagram in the aftermath of Liverpool’s derby victory.
“THE REDS!” Van Dijk proudly posted on Instagram to his 17.3million followers.
Salah’s goal also arrived during his final Merseyside derby outing for Liverpool ahead of his departure from the club this summer.
The Egyptian shared his own response on Instagram, publishing a wordless post accompanied by a series of images of himself celebrating, including some alongside the travelling away supporters.
Van Dijk was quizzed about Salah during a post-match interview, with the captain skipper lauding his teammate and delivering an ‘emotional’ tribute to the forward.
“There will be a lot of words coming out of my mouth in the next couple of weeks about him, but he’s so important for us, on and off the pitch,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports of Salah.
“The appreciation sometimes comes when players are gone but we appreciate him so much. He’s an outstanding teammate to have.
“We’ve been through everything together, high and lows. He will still be important for the last five games we have to play.
“It will be emotional for him and his family for sure, but us as well because he means a lot to me, to the team and the fans, of course; but first, we still have a job to do. He knows it; that’s the main focus.”
Liverpool now have five Premier League fixtures remaining to secure a top-five finish, which would be enough to clinch a Champions League spot for next season.
The Reds are set to face Crystal Palace at Anfield on Saturday, before taking on Manchester United, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Brentford before the end of the season.