Manchester United draw feels like a defeat for Liverpool in title race, says Virgil van Dijk

LONDON – Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said a dramatic 2-2 draw at Manchester United on April 7 felt like a defeat after throwing away two points in the English Premier League title race.

The visitors dominated the majority of the game, but needed a Mohamed Salah penalty six minutes from time to avoid defeat after spectacular strikes from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo. Luis Diaz scored the opener for the Reds.

The draw leaves Liverpool behind leaders Arsenal on goal difference and just one point ahead of Manchester City with seven games remaining in the tightest of title races.

Despite United’s struggles this season, Liverpool have failed to beat Erik ten Hag’s men in three meetings this season. United edged a thrilling FA Cup quarter-final 4-3 in March and emerged with a 0-0 draw at Anfield in December.

“It feels like a loss. It is our fault again. We had so many chances and we should finish the game off,” said van Dijk.

His manager Jurgen Klopp, however, saw it as a point gained rather than two lost.

He said: “As far as I’m concerned, we have a point more than we did before... The whole Liverpool community just stay calm. We are where we are and we keep giving it a proper go.

“Now people will tell us ‘They have the better goal difference, we have to go for that’. That would be the dumbest thing we can do, that doesn’t happen on purpose, you don’t go into a game and want to score eight goals and it happens.”

He added: “We are where we are, we are how we are, and that’s why we are in the race. I’m absolutely fine with it.”

Ten Hag also put a positive spin on things, saying the performances of Willy Kambwala, 19, and Mainoo, 18, show United have a bright future.

“I am very pleased, very happy and it is another signal and message of the future of Manchester United,” he said.

“This team, the squad have high potential and if we get more players available, especially in the backline... then the future will be very good.”

United are sixth in the Premier League and look set to miss out on a place in next season’s Champions League. They visit Bournemouth on April 13 before playing Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-finals on April 21.

“It’s still positive, we have the semi-final. We will keep fighting for every point and see where we are in the end,” said ten Hag.

Meanwhile, Everton were docked two more points by the Premier League on April 8 – their second points deduction this season – after the club’s appeal against a charge for a breach of Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) was unsuccessful, the league said.

The deduction leaves Everton in 16th place on 27 points, two above the relegation zone. Everton said they planned to appeal again.

“The independent commission heard evidence and arguments from the club on a range of potential mitigating factors for its admitted breach of £16.6 million (S$28.3 million), including the impact of its two successive PSR charges,” the league said. “The commission determined the appropriate sanction to be a two-point deduction.”

Everton were docked 10 points in November for breaching PSR, but the penalty was reduced to six after appeal. AFP, REUTERS