Liverpool center-back Virgil van Dijk has rued over his missed chances against Ajax, admitting that he should have found the back of the net against the Dutch outfit.
The Reds welcomed Ajax to Anfield for their GW 2 clash on Tuesday (September 13). Mohamed Salah found the back of the net inside five minutes to put the Reds on top. Twenty-two minutes later, Ajax equalized through Mohammed Kudus. The game was ultimately settled by a Joel Matip strike, who headed home in the 89th minute to seal a 2-1 win for the Merseysiders.
Jurgen Klopp’s side threatened Ajax from corners all night long, with Van Dijk, in particular, getting multiple decent chances. Speaking to the club’s official media outlet after the match, the Dutchman rued over his missed chances. He said:
“I should have scored. We felt like we were dangerous in every set-piece, especially corners, and it was our responsibility to convert one – luckily the one and only Joel Matip did.”
The Liverpool defender had four shots against Ajax on Tuesday night, with only two of them landing on target.
Van Dijk claims it was important for Liverpool to react positively after Napoli horror show
Last year’s Champions League finalists Liverpool have endured a difficult start to the season, both in England and Europe. Having picked up only nine points from six games, they find themselves in seventh place in the Premier League standings.
To make matters worse, they were handed a 4-1 drubbing at Napoli in their Champions League opener last week, showing that all was not well within the club.
Speaking after the Ajax win, Van Dijk claimed that it was important for the Reds to return to winning ways to put the Napoli horror show behind them. He said:
“We tried and they scored with their first chance, I think. But coming back from the horror show in Naples it was very important for us to show a positive reaction. It’s not easy to turn it around, but it is a step in the right direction.
“During the game there were great moments and something to work on. It was very important to win today and get that good feeling going into the international break.”