Virgil van Dijk believes Manchester City's players should brace themselves for more hostile welcomes at grounds across the country following the reception they received at Anfield, where City won 3-0 despite the jeers from the home crowd.
Sunday's clash was City's first match since an independent commission ruled against them on the majority of charges tied to alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations spanning 2009 to 2018. The panel concluded that City had inflated their income by more than £830 million, a discrepancy that would have placed them in violation of both domestic and European spending rules had accurate figures been submitted.
Throughout the match, Liverpool supporters aimed chants at City labeling them cheats. Van Dijk acknowledged that the players on the pitch would have been fully aware of the abuse. "I think everyone could hear it," the Liverpool captain said. "Everyone can share their feelings and I don't think Anfield will be the only place where it will be the case because fans will have their feelings. But for players I don't think it is a good idea at this moment in time [to share their feelings]."
City's case is not yet closed. An appeal hearing is set to wrap up before Christmas, with a ruling expected within 30 days afterward. The club maintains it did nothing wrong. Van Dijk chose to withhold judgment until the process concludes. "It's still a little bit ongoing so I don't think it's smart for me to comment on it right now," he explained. "But when the [appeal] verdict comes out I will definitely have my opinion and I will probably share it."
Asked whether City's history of outmaneuvering Liverpool for silverware colored his perspective on their on-field battles, Van Dijk dismissed the notion. "No," he said. "Because I really enjoyed our rivalry and it was a great rivalry on the pitch. What happened off the pitch is for others to find a conclusion on and then let's see."
The match itself swung dramatically when Ryan Gravenberch was sent off in the 62nd minute, reducing Liverpool to ten men. Van Dijk expressed frustration over the decision, suggesting the Dutch midfielder's initial caution—shown for a challenge on Elliot Anderson—was unjustly harsh. He also pointed to apparent inconsistency from referee Chris Kavanagh, who had booked Ronald Araújo in the opening minutes for mimicking a card gesture while also cautioning Marc Guéhi for simulation.
When Gravenberch later picked up his second booking for a foul on substitute Jérémy Doku, Erling Haaland reacted by gesturing with his hand as if signaling the foul warranted a card. Rúben Dias and Guéhi then confronted the referee, with Guéhi seemingly motioning toward the tunnel, though Kavanagh issued no cards to the City contingent.
"Was the red card the right decision? That's for others [to decide]," Van Dijk reflected. "I don't even know how the first yellow card [for Gravenberch] was. But after the first minute when Araújo got a yellow card for asking for a yellow card, there were so many other players from the other team asking for a red card. That's just that. We can't use it as an excuse. We went down to 10 men and conceded pretty quickly after that and then it's a very tough one."
The fallout from the match extended beyond the pitch. Merseyside police confirmed ten arrests following the game, including one individual suspected of assaulting an officer twice, five linked to chanting about tragedies, and others for public disorder, affray, and throwing objects onto the field. One officer suffered a serious facial injury during an arrest and was hospitalized before returning home to recover.
Chief Inspector Leanne Hobin condemned the behavior, stating that officers and stewards exist to protect the public and expressing disappointment over the injury. She also addressed the tragedy chanting arrests, emphasizing that loss of life should never be exploited for rivalry and that such conduct inflicts serious pain on grieving families, vowing continued collaboration with clubs to identify offenders.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.