Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has issued a rallying cry to teammate Florian Wirtz, urging the club's record signing to ignore the Premier League 'numbers game' after he was denied his first goal for the Reds.
Own Goal Ruling Denies Wirtz Milestone
The incident occurred during Liverpool's midweek draw with Sunderland. Florian Wirtz, the £116 million summer arrival, thought he had broken his scoring duck with an 81st-minute equaliser, only for the effort to be officially credited as an own goal by Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele.
This decision means the 22-year-old German international remains without a goal or an assist in his first 13 Premier League appearances for the reigning champions, a statistic Van Dijk believes is misleading.
Van Dijk's Message: 'Stay Level-Headed'
Speaking out in support of his teammate, the Dutch defender emphasised Wirtz's world-class quality and the need for perspective. "There’s a very good reason why a club like us bought him: he’s an outstanding, world-class player in my eyes," stated Van Dijk.
He advised Wirtz to "stay level-headed, don’t get too high, don’t get too low" and avoid being dragged into external narratives. "Don’t get dragged into the numbers game," Van Dijk continued. "Nowadays there are a lot of eyes on if you score goals or have an assist... but it is also about what you see and the contribution you have for the team."
The captain pointed to Wirtz's involvement in the equaliser and other positive contributions, including in the previous match against West Ham, as evidence of his value beyond mere statistics.
Handling Pressure and Finding Consistency
Van Dijk, who himself joined Liverpool for a then-world record fee for a defender at £75 million in 2018, revealed he has spoken with Wirtz about handling the pressure of a big-money transfer. However, he does not believe the price tag is an issue.
"He just has to keep going," said Van Dijk. "He is still such a young, talented boy who came to the club for a lot of money but he didn’t pay that money." The skipper's message was one of patience and collective improvement: "We are all trying to find consistency on the pitch with our results and we need everyone in their best shape."
The draw with Sunderland was a laboured affair for Liverpool, prompting manager Arne Slot to introduce Mohamed Salah at half-time after dropping the Egyptian star for a second consecutive game.
On Salah's situation, Van Dijk added: "Mo has been like he should be: disappointed. But we need him and he will still be important." He expressed confidence in Salah's continued role, stating, "I am pretty sure Mo will still be a big part of what we are trying to achieve."
The overarching theme from the Liverpool captain was one of unity and a focus on the bigger picture, as both the team's new star and its established icon look to rediscover their best form.
