Watch Liverpool vs Manchester United on Super Sunday, 4pm on Sky Sports Premier League
Friday 14 December 2018 16:47, UK
Virgil van Dijk sat down with Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher for a special edition of Match Zone ahead of Super Sunday.
The defender has transformed Liverpool's defence since joining from Southampton in January; they have kept 16 clean sheets in his 30 Premier League appearances, and conceded just 16 goals.
Here, he speaks with former Liverpool defender Carragher ahead of Super Sunday, with the Reds hosting Manchester United, live on Sky Sports Premier League at 4pm.
A perfect example of Van Dijk's aerial qualities in his own box, Van Dijk rose to win a header from a late Crystal Palace corner earlier this season, with Liverpool 1-0 up. It prompted an attack up the pitch, allowing Sadio Mane to score and wrap up a 2-0 win...
Carragher asks... "Is the decision: I'm winning the ball no matter what?"
Van Dijk: "Yes of course. This game particularly, we knew how dangerous they are at set pieces, and it's the last moment of the game so we said to each other: 'We have to win it!' I won the header and made the sprint forward as well! I tried to score but they were too quick for me."
Van Dijk: "We have very good players to defend set pieces, and I definitely feel a big responsibility to clear the danger, and sometimes I need to give responsibility to others as well.
"Last season against Swansea I came for it, didn't need to, and they scored from it. But we've been doing brilliantly and we need to keep doing it."
One of modern football's hallmarks, playing out from the back has been a Liverpool staple under Jurgen Klopp. Van Dijk's confidence on the ball, as well as new goalkeeper Alisson, gives them a new dimension to build attacks from defence. Van Dijk also insists it actually stops teams from pressing against them high up the pitch...
Van Dijk: "It's modern-day football. We try to do it, and we have the players to do it. With Alisson at the back as well, he likes to take risks and I think it's a good thing. It's difficult to press and win the ball from us.
"Most of the time there is always an option to play. If they are pressing with three, we always have probably five, always a guy free. So we try to find that guy, and if not we always have a goalkeeper to play back to and start again. It's something we try to do, but we always have players up front to try to find, too.
"I think the most important thing is to not put each other in bad situations. We have a goalie who is very comfortable on the ball, we can always use him, but it is important that if you are in a bad situation you clear it."
Captain for Netherlands, Van Dijk shows leadership on the pitch for Liverpool, and insists encouragement and positive feedback in-play is vital for a team to succeed...
Van Dijk: "That is something that every player likes, that you get positive feedback from players around you, when things are going well and not going well. It makes you even sharper.
"Personally I like it, and like to do it to others as well."
Having joined from Roma in the summer, Liverpool have conceded just six Premier League goals with Alisson between the sticks. Van Dijk also says his communication and comfort on the ball is a big plus, not just his shot-stopping...
Van Dijk: "He's alright, isn't he? He's a fantastic goalkeeper. He's so quick out of the box, so big as well, and comfortable on the ball, which helps all of us. I'm glad he's with us. The communication is very good."
Watch Liverpool vs Manchester United on Super Sunday, 4pm on Sky Sports Premier League
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