Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino was left heralding Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk for keeping his side at bay during the Reds’ 2-1 win over his side at Anfield.
The Merseyside outfit secured a late winner after Hugo Lloris palmed Mohamed Salah’s header off Toby Alderweireld and into the goal, with Lucas Moura’s equaliser having cancelled out Roberto Firmino’s opener.
However, Tottenham might be feeling they could have won the game when Moussa Sissoko found himself bearing down on goal, van Dijk the only Liverpool defender to stop him in a two-on-one situation, and Pochettino was left applauding what he saw from the Dutchman as the French midfield blazed over.
He told Sky Sports: “That shows why Liverpool paid more than £70m for Van Dijk. He showed he’s a great player, it’s a great, great performance.
‘The legs are heavy and it is difficult to be clear to think and it is not his [Sissoko’s] best quality but I am so happy with his performance and commitment to the team.”
Opinion
You know you have done a good job when the opposition manager is left applauding your performance and so van Dijk can wake up on Monday morning feeling pretty happy. He was once again the rock on which Liverpool’s victory was built upon and if the Reds are to seal the Premier League title then he has perhaps been their most important figure in the side. The way he cleverly marshalled Sissoko onto his left foot and cut off the option to pass was a risky one as it left Hugo Lloris facing his fellow countryman but it worked out a treat, the Tottenham man quite clearly not a fan of using his weaker foot to shoot. It was a moment which could have changed the game and in a way it still did, despite the ball going miles over. Liverpool’s belief grew, Spurs’ sank and the Reds went on to find that all important winner.
