Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has issued a rallying cry to club-record signing Florian Wirtz, urging the German midfielder to ignore the pressure of statistics after he was cruelly denied his first goal for the club.
Own Goal Denies Wirtz Milestone
The 22-year-old, a £116m summer arrival, thought he had broken his duck in the 81st minute of Wednesday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Sunderland at Anfield. His effort, however, was officially credited as an own goal by Black Cats defender Nordi Mukiele after a decisive deflection.
The contentious decision means Wirtz is still awaiting his first direct goal contribution – a goal or an assist – in 13 league appearances for the reigning champions, a fact Van Dijk insists the young playmaker must not dwell on.
Van Dijk's Message of Support
"There’s a very good reason why a club like us bought him: he’s an outstanding, world-class player in my eyes who can only become even better," stated the Dutch defender. "For him he has to stay level-headed, don’t get too high, don’t get too low. Don’t get dragged into the outside world... and don’t get dragged into the numbers game."
Van Dijk, who himself joined Liverpool for a then-world record fee for a defender, acknowledged the weight of expectation but believes Wirtz is handling it well. "You can talk about [the transfer fee] as much as you want, but you have to deal with it yourself," he added. "He just has to keep going. He is still such a young, talented boy... It’s about getting going. Start working and just enjoy being part of the biggest club in the world."
Salah's Role and Team Consistency
The match also saw Mohamed Salah dropped for the second consecutive game, with manager Arne Slot bringing the Egyptian on at half-time following a disappointing display from Cody Gakpo. Van Dijk admitted Salah was "disappointed" but stressed his continued importance.
"We need him and he will still be important like he has been," said the captain. "He is a fantastic player and we have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club... I am pretty sure Mo will still be a big part of what we are trying to achieve."
Van Dijk, whose own error led to Sunderland's opener, concluded that the entire squad is searching for rhythm. "At the moment we are all trying to find consistency on the pitch with our results and we need everyone in their best shape," he said. "He needs us in our best shape and we need him in our best shape and that’s what we’re trying to find."
