Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk admitted his side were fortunate to escape with a draw against Manchester United, especially after Harry Maguire missed a golden opportunity in the final moments.
Maguire, unmarked in the penalty area, received a precise pass from teammate Joshua Zirkzee, but with the ball bouncing slightly, he sent his shot over the bar.
Van Dijk acknowledged Liverpool’s luck and expressed contentment with the point earned. “It could have been much worse if we’re honest,” he said.
“They had a huge chance at the end, and we were fortunate. While I’m disappointed to drop points at home, we have to move on. It is what it is.”
Reflecting on the game, Van Dijk added, “We went 2-1 up, but our game management fell short. Losing possession too easily left us more exposed than we should have been. We’re not perfect—there’s still room for growth, and we must learn from this.”
The defender dismissed suggestions that Liverpool underestimated United, despite one reporter asking boss Arne Slot on Friday whether he might “rest” players for what appeared to be an easier matchup.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said his team were lucky to earn a draw against Man United
Harry Maguire blasted the ball over the bar in the dying seconds of the match at Anfield
Van Dijk thinks Liverpool got away with one and said he’s satisfied with a point from the game
The Dutch defender added: ‘That’s all the media. Media talk. It’s nothing to do with us. We prepared for a very tough game like we saw today. We didn’t think any of that.’
Slot agreed that Liverpool could have lost the game and said: ‘People forget all the chances we had. They had the open chance from Maguire. We had much more chances than them but in the end we could have definitely lost it with the Maguire chance.
‘We started really well, had three open chances in the game and then there was a period of time which was more difficult for us. It is difficult if you play quality players that are playing in a low block with only (Rasmus) Hojlund and (Amad) Diallo as attackers.
‘It’s not always easy to find the gaps and that’s what happened. Then being 1-0 down makes it even more difficult… but I was very happy with the mentality we showed afterwards, going 2-1 up.’