"Not what we all expected" - Liverpool superstar says 5-0 win against Manchester United in October was 'easy and simple' 

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has admitted he was surprised by how 'simple and easy' his side's win against Manchester United was earlier this season.

The Reds thrashed their great North West rivals 5-0 at Old Trafford in October, but Van Dijk is expecting a tougher test in the reverse fixture tonight at Anfield.

It's a massive game for both clubs, with the Reds aiming to go top with a win before Manchester City play Brighton tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Manchester United are still hoping to finish in the top four, and currently lie fifth, three points behind Tottenham Hotspur.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the huge Anfield clash, Van Dijk stated that he didn't expect the October fixture at Old Trafford to be such a breeze, saying:

"The games that we played over there were always going to be tough but to come away with 5-0 quite easy and simple was not what we all expected before the game but that doesn't mean we didn't enjoy it as much as we should. But that game is out of the way."

The Dutch defender added:

"I think they'll be going for it, like I would as well. I expect a very good game but a game I want to play. If you play against very good players you have to be ready and hopefully we can show our quality throughout the whole game and win the game."

---

Van Dijk discusses Liverpool's quadruple chances ahead of Manchester United clash

Jurgen Klopp's side are in red hot form, having not lost in the Premier League in 2022, and are still battling for an unprecedented quadruple.

While Van Dijk recognizes that the Reds are in an excellent position to go for the historic achievement, he has played down expectations and insisted that his side are only looking ahead to their next game. The 30-year-old stated:

"It's still going to be quite a tough journey until the end of the season in all the competitions we're still in. Like we always say, we take it game by game and that doesn't change.

"Driving players on is winning games and at the start of the season, in any competition you participate in, you try to get as far as possible. It doesn't always go that way and that's why it's never been done in England. The quadruple has never happened."

He added:

"What we feel is we just have to give it a go, play the remaining games of the season with a lot of joy, work hard and give your all and we'll see where it leads to."