Virgil van Dijk shares Alexander Isak advice at Liverpool and admits 'unnecessary' problem
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(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Virgil van Dijk has disclosed the advice he offered Alexander Isak before the British record signing's Liverpool bow - but concedes Arne Slot's team are making things "unnecessarily difficult" for themselves following another dramatic late show at Anfield.
Van Dijk struck deep into stoppage time to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Reds' Champions League curtain-raiser on Wednesday night.
Isak, who completed his £125million switch from Newcastle United on deadline day, played for 58 minutes and forced Atletico keeper Jan Oblak into a pair of smart stops whilst displaying promising chemistry with fellow summer arrival Florian Wirtz, the £116m attacking midfielder.
The Liverpool captain is already convinced Isak possesses the qualities to make his mark should he get the nod for Saturday's Merseyside derby clash with Everton at Anfield.
"Very good," said the Liverpool skipper when asked for his assessment of Isak's display, reports the Liverpool Echo.
"I said (to him before the game) 'just do you thing and enjoy the whole thing and be important'.
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"That is not obviously with goals but link-up play and pressing as well and I think that was very good from him.
He has to recover and be ready for Saturday, whether he starts or not he will have to be there and ready to help us as well.
"The new guys need a bit of time, that's normal, but they all did well and we keep going."
Van Dijk's strike marked the fifth consecutive match Liverpool have clinched victory with a goal in the 83rd minute or later, after watching an early advantage secured by Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah's efforts cancelled out by Marcos Llorente's brace.
Van Dijk scored Liverpool's late winner(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
It also represented the third occasion this campaign the Reds have thrown away a two-goal cushion, with the centre-half admitting: "It was a little bit unnecessary.
But Atletico are a team who never give up, have a lot of quality and we gave them a boost by letting them score just before half-time and we were frustrated at the second goal, a massive deflection.
"Then we showed again the resilience we have shown for a couple of years.
I'm not worried.
"The guys who are here have played in good stadiums, good games – not the Merseyside derby, obviously - but I am confident they will be absolutely fine."
Everton have enjoyed a solid start to the campaign under David Moyes and are expected to mirror the approach of Burnley and Atletico by forcing Liverpool to find a way through their defensive setup.
Van Dijk continued: "It is a challenge.
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