UEFA Super Cup: Liverpool 2(5)-2(4) Chelsea - 3 key battles that decided the game

#2 Virgil van Dijk vs Pedro

Another day, another game being a rock

Probably the closest battle of tonight, matched only by the performance battle between the two goalkeepers. It is no secret that van Dijk is Liverpool's anchor at the back, the one man you need to beat before you find yourself having a shy at the goal. And even though Pedro did not exactly do that to get his name on the scoreboard, he came as close as anyone has in the recent past.

Starting on the right, it was one of Pedro's most lively performances, as he was almost everywhere on the pitch and almost exactly when he was needed. He hit the woodwork once early in the game, and had another ferocious attempt blocked - by who else but van Dijk? Not only that but he also put in an equally important defensive shift, making 4 tackles and backtracking constantly throughout the entire 120 minutes.

Van Dijk, for his part, won a massive 5 aerial tackles and had a shot on goal thwarted by a sprawling Kepa that would have been otherwise the decisive goal. Incidentally, the Dutchman ended the night with most passes attempted, completing 113 of 126 passes.