Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has confirmed a festive first for the squad, with manager Arne Slot granting them Christmas Day off. This marks the first time the Dutch defender has experienced such a break during his Premier League tenure at Anfield.
A Festive Fixture Respite
The decision comes following Liverpool's 2-1 away victory against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The Reds' next Premier League fixture is not until December 27, when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers. With only one top-flight match scheduled for Boxing Day this season, Slot has opted to allow his players to spend the full holiday with their families.
Traditionally, teams playing on December 26 are required to train on Christmas Day. "We have Christmas Day off which is very nice of the staff," van Dijk stated after the win at Tottenham. "It's a nice change. I'll be at home on Christmas Eve too and I'm really looking forward to it."
Van Dijk Savours Family Time
The centre-back emphasised the rarity of the occasion in his career. "It's special to be off on Christmas Day. I don't think it's happened in my Premier League career so far," he admitted. "I'll make the most of being with my family and enjoy it all."
The squad held their own Christmas celebrations with a dinner on Saturday night, buoyed by extending their unbeaten run to six matches. The win in North London was secured by goals from Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, despite a late consolation from Tottenham's Richarlison. The hosts finished the game with nine men after red cards for Xavi Simons and Cristian Romero.
Post-Match Composure and Looking Ahead
Van Dijk revealed he spoke to his Netherlands international teammate, Xavi Simons, after the midfielder was sent off for a challenge on him. "Yeah I spoke to him," van Dijk said. "It's a chat that no-one needs to know. I don't think there was any intention to hurt me but obviously he hurt me and the referee and the VAR made the decision to send him off."
With Liverpool now level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea, van Dijk stressed the importance of building on their positive form after a challenging start to the campaign. "The aim is to try to win every game ahead of us. Unfortunately this season has had a lot of difficult moments in terms of results and performances as well," he reflected.
"But all we can try to do is get better. We're at a club where we have a lot of opportunities to show what we can do," the captain added, outlining the immediate priorities. "We focus on Christmas and being with the family, and then we focus on Wolves."
