A bruising tackle by Virgil van Dijk was enjoyed by many Liverpool fans on Twitter, after the Dutch centre-back left a mark on Harry Kane.
A clip of the challenge, posted by Kloppholic, has been liked over 14,500 times, a sign of the supporters’ appreciation for the Ballon d’Or nominee. Kane may have converted after just 47 seconds in Sunday’s clash, but Van Dijk appeared to enact revenge late on, with a tackle that sent the England captain flying.
Ultimately, Liverpool and Van Dijk would come out on top, after Mohamed Salah converted a late penalty for a 2-1 win, but for many Liverpool fans, Van Dijk’s powerful challenge was yet another highlight from a memorable game:
Van Dijk’s tackle on Kane. Quality. pic.twitter.com/iB3ZeMMA62
— Kloppholic (@Kloppholic) October 28, 2019
Wow big man … YNWA
— MISSIE Mirdal (@mirdal_missie) October 28, 2019
That’s what happens when you say Big Virg isn’t invincible pic.twitter.com/qTIdyukUPH
— ??Harry? (@HarryLombardi) October 28, 2019
He got bullied by Van Dijk ?
— ray william (@ray789101) October 28, 2019
The ferocity of the tackle left some supporters to search for an adequate comparison…
Like getting hit by a train
— LC (@lee_lfc_84) October 28, 2019
— Syed Qadri (@zeelfc786) October 28, 2019
— Craig Grainger (@CraigJCG) October 28, 2019
What we think
The challenge, while physical, was a fair one – that in many ways sums up Van Dijk’s game. The Dutch captain will only put in a tackle if necessary, as all good defenders do, but when he is required to take action, the end result is often emphatic. Additionally, a strong challenge like that can have a galvanising effect on the home crowd, as it gets them off their feet, and encourages the team to kick on.
