Virgil van Dijk has been criticized as “salty” after making a remark about Everton following Liverpool’s dramatic late setback in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park.
Liverpool appeared to be on course for victory when Mohamed Salah put them 2-1 ahead in the 73rd minute with his 22nd Premier League goal, as Everton struggled to find a response.
However, in the dying moments of the game, Everton captain James Tarkowski stunned the visitors with a spectacular volley past Alisson Becker, sending the home crowd into celebration.
A lengthy VAR review followed, assessing a possible offside and a foul by Beto on Ibrahima Konate, but the goal stood, allowing Everton to snatch a last-second draw.
Tensions flared at the final whistle when Abdoulaye Doucoure taunted Liverpool’s away fans, prompting Curtis Jones to retaliate by shoving the Everton midfielder.
This led to a heated altercation between both teams, resulting in red cards for Doucoure and Jones, as well as dismissals for Liverpool manager Arne Slot and his assistant Sipke Hulshoff after their conduct towards referee Michael Oliver.
Since Slot was barred from post-match interviews due to his red card, Van Dijk stepped in to speak with TNT Sports.
The Dutch defender criticized referee Oliver for losing control of the match and repeatedly expressed frustration over Everton’s equalizer being scored beyond the allocated stoppage time.
Van Dijk also took a jab at Everton, referring to the match as their “cup final,” implying that they treated the game as more significant than usual.
“This is their cup final, and they would do everything possible to make it difficult for us. It’s a big boost for them but a disappointment for us,” he remarked on Everton’s celebrations and approach.
His comments sparked reactions on social media, with some fans branding him unsportsmanlike. One user on X wrote:
“Terrible post-match interview from Van Dijk. He comes across as petulant and a sore loser. You have to be gracious whether you win, lose, or draw!”
Another added: “Loooooollll Van Dijk is so salty. ‘This is their cup final’—he’s not wrong, but still.”
A third commented: “Wow, serious salt from Van Dijk in that interview.”
A fourth user wrote: “This interview is embarrassing. He is never gracious.”
After going two games without a win, Liverpool will look to get back on track when they host Wolves at Anfield on Sunday.
