Virgil van Dijk sends message to Liverpool fans after ‘illegal incident’ missed
Virgil van Dijk responded to Liverpool fans after his underwhelming performance and a controversial incident against Fulham.
Liverpool suffered just their second league defeat of the season in a chaotic 3-2 loss at Craven Cottage, with Rodrigo Muniz, Ryan Sessegnon and Alex Iwobi all on target for the hosts.
It was a game full of incidents that boss Arne Slot may quickly want to put behind him. One of the biggest talking points came early, when Caoimhin Kelleher wiped out Andreas Pereira in the box, but remarkably escaped both a penalty and punishment.
Liverpool pushed hard in the second half after trailing 3-1 at the break, but a separate moment involving Van Dijk sparked more post-match controversy.
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett told Football Insider that Van Dijk should have been punished for an “illegal” elbow on Sander Berge, an incident that went unnoticed by officials.
Despite the criticism, Van Dijk shared a message with fans following the defeat, expressing his thanks for their continued support and insisting the squad is fully focused on putting things right in the games ahead.
Virgil van Dijk responds after errors against Fulham and Everton
The Liverpool captain posted a message on his Instagram story following the 3-2 loss to Fulham, saying: “A lot of work still to do, as we all saw. Thanks to all of you travelling. Onto Sunday.”
Before the controversy at Craven Cottage, Van Dijk had already come under fire for a costly error against Everton in the Merseyside derby on 2 April. His misjudgement nearly allowed Beto to open the scoring in a moment that shocked both fans and pundits.
The 33-year-old has been a rock at the back for most of the season, but mistakes creeping in have caused concern among the fanbase.
Despite enjoying a strong campaign overall, Van Dijk is yet to sign a new deal with Liverpool, with his contract due to expire in June. Talks have yet to progress publicly, and with each passing week, speculation grows.
| Liverpool’s next three fixtures | Date |
| Liverpool vs West Ham | 13 April |
| Leicester vs Liverpool | 20 April |
| Liverpool vs Tottenham | 27 April |
Liverpool eye Jorrel Hato and Marc Guehi amid Van Dijk contract uncertainty
With Van Dijk’s future unclear, the club are already looking at potential long-term replacements in case the club and player part ways.
Football Insider revealed that Ajax defender Jorrel Hato has been identified as a target for Liverpool, who could eventually succeed Van Dijk at Anfield.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are also leading the race to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, moving ahead of Newcastle, Chelsea, and Arsenal in the battle for his signature.
For now, fans will be hoping Van Dijk can regain his best form as Liverpool continue to push towards the Premier League title.