"It’s good to see that" - Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool star is 'world-class' in his eyes after 2-0 Sheffield United win
Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk heaped praise on goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher after their important 2-0 win over Sheffield United on Wednesday, November 6.
The Reds earned a hard-fought victory in the Premier League against Sheffield at the Bramall Lane. Van Dijk opened the scoring in the 37th minute via a corner from Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Merseysiders weren't at their best though and failed to capitalise on numerous other opportunities to score.
Sheffield fought hard to find an equaliser but failed to do so. Their pursuit eventually led to Liverpool finding gaps in their defense to score the all-important second goal. Darwin Nunez put in a good pass from the right wing towards Dominik Szoboszlai, who finished from close range in the 94th minute.
Sheffield came into the game having sacked manager Paul Heckingbottom and appointing Chris Wilder. After the game, Van Dijk praised the Blades for their performance but also lauded the Reds' in-possession effort, saying on Amazon Prime (via Inside Futbol):
"I think the change of manager for them gives their team and fans a little boost.
“To be honest, I think we did very well, we were very good in possession. ou know that when you lose the ball in certain areas you can get counters around you, but we did well. I don’t think it was too hostile today. You still have to win the game and it’s a big step today."
The Dutch defender also heaped praise on Kelleher, who got his first Premier League clean sheet of the season. He said:
"I’m pleased for Caoimhin’s clean sheet. World-class goalkeeper in my eyes and it’s good to see that as well.”
Kelleher is filling in for Alisson Becker, who is expected to be out for a while after sustaining a hamstring injury in Liverpool's 1-1 draw at Manchester City. Kelleher has made eight appearances across competitions this season and kept two clean sheets, conceding 10 goals.
Liverpool secure big three points in Premier League title race
After a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Premier League last season, Liverpool have bounced back brilliantly. They are second in the table, two points behind leaders Arsenal. The Reds have won 10, drawn four, and lost one of their league games this campaign so far.
Arsenal beat Luton Town 4-3 in a thrilling encounter on Tuesday to put pressure on their title rivals. While Liverpool weren't at their best against Sheffield, they still pulled off a good result to remain in the race. They had 76% possession in the game and made 15 attempts on goal with eight being on target.
The result was accentuated by Manchester City's 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Wednesday. The Cityzens are now six points behind Arsenal and four behind Liverpool in fourth. Villa, meanwhile, are third, just two points behind the Reds.