beIN SPORTS pundit Andy Gray has heaped praise on Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk for a low-key moment in his team’s victory over Newcastle United on Saturday.
The Dutch centre half clearly indicated over to Xherdan Shaqiri and Trent Alexander-Arnold that he wanted the Swiss star to take the free kick that led to Divock Origi’s winner.
Gray was very impressed with his leadership: “Virgil van Dijk was making a point – he was making a point: Trent Alexander[-Arnold], don’t you take it, let Shaqiri take it,” he told beIN SPORTS.
“So you can see him pointing to him. Trent Alexander-Arnold, he backs away from it. That’s what good players… that’s what great players do. He’s the man they look at, even though he’s not officially skipper.”
'Let Shaqiri take the free kick!'
How crucial was Virgil van Dijk in Liverpool's winner?
Andy Gray explains…#beINPL #NEWLIV
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OPINION
Gray’s right, it was a small moment but it was a crucial one in Liverpool’s victory and potentially in the context of their season as a whole. Who knows what would have happened if Alexander-Arnold had played the free kick in from the right hand side, but we all saw what occurred when Shaqiri whipped it in with the in-swinging delivery. Origi managed to rise highest and nod the ball home, with the visitors claiming a crucial three points at St James’ Park as a result. It was Van Dijk, though, who commanded Alexander-Arnold to let Shaqiri take the free kick. The Dutchman isn’t even the captain of this Liverpool side, Jordan Henderson is, yet he carries such weight and such authority that his teammates listen to him and act on his advice. And, hey, they ended up scoring the winning goal as a result. It seems that whatever the former Southampton man touches turns to gold these days.
