Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has confirmed a festive first for the squad, announcing they will enjoy a full Christmas Day off this year. The decision, taken by manager Arne Slot, marks a significant departure from the usual rigorous Premier League schedule during the holiday period.
A Festive First for Van Dijk and Liverpool
Following their 2-1 away victory against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, the Reds' next fixture is not until Thursday, 27 December, against Wolverhampton Wanderers. This schedule has allowed Slot to grant the rare Christmas Day holiday, a gesture warmly welcomed by the players.
'We have Christmas Day off, which is very kind from the squad,' stated van Dijk after the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 'It's a nice change. I'll also be home on Christmas Eve and I'm really looking forward to it.'
The Dutch defender emphasised the novelty of the situation, adding: 'I don't think it's happened in my Premier League career until now. I will take the opportunity to be with my family and enjoy it all.'
Victory at Spurs Extends Unbeaten Run
The squad had already begun their celebrations with a team dinner on Saturday night, buoyed by a result that extended their unbeaten run to six matches. Goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike secured the three points for Liverpool, despite a late consolation from Richarlison.
The match was marred by two red cards for the home side, with Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero both being dismissed. Van Dijk, who was on the receiving end of Simons' challenge, revealed he spoke with his Netherlands teammate afterwards.
'Yes, I spoke with him. It's a talk that nobody needs to know about,' van Dijk said. 'I don't think there was any intent to hurt me, but obviously it did hurt and the referee and VAR made the decision to send him off.'
Focus Shifts to Consolidating Form
Currently level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea, van Dijk insisted the team must now build on this positive streak and move on from a challenging first half of the season. 'The aim is to try to win every game we have ahead of us,' he asserted.
'Unfortunately, this season has had a lot of difficult moments in terms of results and also performance. But the only thing we can try to do is improve. We are at a club where we have many opportunities to show what we can do.'
The captain outlined the immediate plan, perfectly encapsulating the manager's new festive approach: 'We focus on Christmas and being with the family, and then we focus on Wolves.'
