Van Dijk: I’m not bothered if Southampton fans boo me
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk says that he is not worried about the reception he will get from the home fans when he returns to Southampton on Sunday.
The Dutchman joined Liverpool in January for £75m, making him the most expensive defender in history, but his actions whilst he was still at Southampton mean he’s sure to receive some abuse from the St Mary’s faithful.
Van Dijk’s new teammate Dejan Lovren still gets boos, jeers, and the odd chant from Southampton fans and it would not be a huge shock if the Dutch international gets the same treatment.
However, speaking to James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo, Van Dijk insisted that he is not worried about the reception he will get as he will just be focused on helping his team earn three points.
He said:
What can you do? Maybe they can boo the whole game. What can you do about it? You can’t do anything about it. I made the decision, I have enjoyed every bit of it and I am very grateful for everything that they (Southampton) did for me. I have moved on, they have moved on. I know they are struggling and we need to win. I am going there with only one mindset and that is to win. Obviously it will be nice to see the players I have played with and the friends I have there but, for me, it is going to be about one thing only and that is to win the game.
Liverpool comfortably won the reverse fixture at Anfield earlier this season, a game Van Dijk played in for Southampton, so the Saints will be out for revenge this weekend.