Van Dijk makes history.

Central defender Virgil van Dijk continues to assert his leadership role and overall influence in the Liverpool shirt.

In the early hours of February 12th, in the 26th round of the Premier League, Van Dijk scored the only goal to secure a 1-0 victory for Liverpool against hosts Sunderland. This result helped "The Kop" close in on the top four, now only 3 points behind Manchester United.

Van Dijk's moment of brilliance came in the 61st minute at Sunderland's Stadium of Light. From a corner kick on the right wing taken by Mohamed Salah, Van Dijk rose high to head the ball towards the goal. At the far post, the ball deflected off Habib Diarra's head, changing direction and leaving the Sunderland goalkeeper with no chance to react.

Van Dijk's goal against Sunderland helped him reach a memorable milestone. According to Opta , this was the Dutch defender's 23rd Premier League goal for Liverpool, surpassing legend Sami Hyypiä (22 goals) to become the highest-scoring defender for the Merseyside club in the Premier League era.

Van Dijk had an impressive game. Photo: Reuters .

Furthermore, Van Dijk also delivered an outstanding defensive performance against Sunderland. Opta also pointed out that the Dutch international is the first player to have at least 11 header clearances and win 8 aerial duels in the same Premier League match in the last 5 years. These numbers demonstrate the Liverpool captain's superior ability in aerial duels.

On January 29th, Van Dijk also made a strong impression in the Champions League by contributing a hat-trick of assists in the 6-0 victory against Qarabag. This achievement demonstrates the comprehensive influence of the Dutch international in both defense and attack.

Amidst the intense race for Champions League qualification, Van Dijk's consistent form and composure are a major asset for coach Arne Slot's team as they aim to finish the season in the top group.

Source: https://znews.vn/van-dijk-lam-nen-lich-su-post1627302.html