Virgil van Dijk sends message to Liverpool fans after poor performance vs Leeds

Virgil van Dijk has given fans his verdict on Liverpool’s opening game of the season – during which his howler gifted Leeds United an equaliser.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds got their Premier League title defence off to a winning start in a seven-goal thriller at Anfield.

But they needed a late Mohamed Salah penalty to secure a 4-3 victory as promoted Leeds threatened an upset.

Hat-trick Salah had fired Liverpool into an early lead before Van Dijk did his bit, scoring a bullet header to make it 2-1 to the champions.

But the Dutch defender then undid his good work when he failed to control a ball into the Reds’ box, allowing it to run on for Patrick Bamford to slam home Leeds’ second equaliser.

Liverpool were not up to their usual standard in defence, with Jack Harrison and Mateusz Klich also scoring to give the champions a fright on the opening day of the season.

And Van Dijk admitted there were “positive and negative” lessons for his side to take from the game.

“Well well that was eventful!,” Van Dijk wrote on Twitter with a laughing emoji.

“Loads of things that we could take from the game, positive and negative. Glad to get the win and contribute with my first goal of the season!”

The Reds colossus posted a montage of pictures of his own contribution to the game – although tellingly not of his uncharacteristic gaffe, which one follower was quick to point out.

Ex-Reds defender Jamie Carragher slammed Van Dijk over the blunder, labelling his play “arrogant” after he failed to take charge of the situation.

Liverpool fans watching the action from home shared Carragher’s opinion, with one tweeting: “Poor from Van Dijk but fair play Bamford for staying on a lost cause, took it well.”

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Another added: “Very poor from Van Dijk, too arrogant. Bamford proving me and everyone else wrong as well.”

And a third said: “That was shabby coming from Van Dijk, poor defending. He controlled the ball for the opponent. Composed finishing though.”