Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool captain, admits that dealing with Erling Haaland is an extremely tough challenge but affirms the Reds are ready to take revenge on Manchester City in front of their fans at Anfield.
On 7 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool's captain and defender, acknowledged that handling Erling Haaland, Manchester City's dangerous striker, is one of the toughest tasks in modern football ahead of the Premier League game where the Reds will host the Sky Blues at Anfield this Sunday at 23:30.
In the first leg this season, Manchester City thrashed Liverpool 3-0 at home, and van Dijk hopes to use the home game as a key opportunity to exact revenge and restore pride in front of the Kop fans.
The Dutch international defender spoke about the Norwegian striker:
“He is an excellent forward, and I have faced Erling for several years. He truly is a modern striker—strong, fast, and a natural goal hunter. It will definitely be a tough game.”
Van Dijk also reflected on the first leg at the Etihad Stadium as one of the matches where Liverpool had to accept defeat with dignity.
“The game there was very tough, and it might have been different if we were playing at home. But in the second half, we must admit we deserved to lose.”
However, the Reds captain believes Sunday’s game will be a completely different matter.
“Sunday is a new opportunity. Matches against Manchester City are never easy. The atmosphere at Anfield is always fantastic, and it’s something we look forward to. I’m happy to be back playing there with everyone again.”
This match is one of the season’s most important, with Liverpool needing a win to maintain their bid for a top-table spot, while Manchester City aims to secure three points to keep chasing league leaders Arsenal.
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