Van Dijk relishing first taste of Manchester United v Liverpool

Record signing Virgil van Dijk is set to face Manchester United in Liverpool colours for the first time and hopes it lives up to the hype.

Published : Mar 09, 2018 15:22 IST

Virgil van Dijk is keen to see how Manchester United versus Liverpool compares to his experiences in the Old Firm derby.

Van Dijk is set for his first experience of the rivalry since Liverpool secured his services in a £75million deal with Southampton in January, with two points separating Jose Mourinho's United in second and Jurgen Klopp's men in third.

The 26-year-old Netherlands international made his first steps in British football at Celtic and relished the fierce crosstown showdowns with Rangers in Glasgow.

From what Liverpool fans have led him to believe, Van Dijk is expecting something similar at Old Trafford on Saturday.

"It's massive – the reactions I've had already from fans, [I know] it's such a big game," he told Liverpool's official website. "I feel that already, and have for the last few weeks.

"If you look at the table, you'll see the number two spot is very important for both of us. We want to win the game – just like the fans, we want to do everything that’s possible to win it. I definitely know how important it is for our fans.

"I've played in the Old Firm derby and that was very special - now I'm definitely looking forward to this game and seeing how the atmosphere is."

Klopp's men have only lost once in the Premier League since October and the confidence from such an impressive run has proved contagious for Van Dijk.

"I've not been here for long, but I feel like we can beat anyone," he added.

"It's going to be a very tough game going there, and they have so much quality – but we do as well. It's going to be a very interesting game.

"I've been hearing so many stories about the game, about how big this game is.

"I'm definitely looking forward to it and I can’t wait for it to start."

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment