Liverpool earned a well-deserved 3 points! Virgil van Dijk spoke openly after scoring the winning header that ended Sunderland's unbeaten home record.
On 12 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk praised his teammates' spirit after a strong performance that secured a 1-0 victory over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday night, ending the hosts' unbeaten home run.
The winning goal came in the 61st minute from a corner by Mohamed Salah, which Van Dijk rose to head into the net, helping the Reds claim valuable 3 points back to Merseyside.
Van Dijk said, "It was an excellent victory. We worked very hard on a tough and challenging pitch. I'm very happy with these 3 points. Now we need to recover quickly to prepare for the weekend."
"Coming here and playing like we did today, we deserved the 3 points. It was a great match. We will hold on to this win and keep pushing forward."
Van Dijk did not forget to credit Sunderland for their strong fight and praised his fellow defenders for the clean sheet. "They’ve shown throughout the season how difficult it is to beat them. Credit to them—they are a hardworking team, and with the fans supporting, the atmosphere here is great."
"It’s very good that we came here, won, and kept a clean sheet. It was a great night for us."
"It was very important. I think Ibu (Ibrahima Konaté) played outstandingly, Mac (Alexis Mac Allister) controlled the midfield in front of the defense, everyone gave their all, including Joe (Gomez), who came on and helped the team well. It was unfortunate that Wata (Endo) had to be substituted."
"I'm proud of my teammates. Everyone worked very hard for this game, and it’s fantastic to see that."
Van Dijk also acknowledged that this result is crucial for Liverpool’s Champions League hopes but said the focus is now on the upcoming Emirates FA Cup fourth-round match against Brighton & Hove Albion.
"Undeniably, it’s a very important result, but 12 games remain. We have to keep improving and strive for consistency. We played well in the second half against Man City, except for the last 10 minutes."
"We have to keep building the team, maintain fitness and confidence, and keep developing. Today was a very good step, both with and without the ball."
"Now we need to recover and then play again on Saturday at 8 p.m. against Brighton, who are a very tough team to beat."
"We need everyone—our fans and all who want to see the team succeed—to help us achieve our goals. Now it’s time to recover."
Virgil van Dijk has now scored more Premier League goals for Liverpool than any other defender in the club’s history, with 23 goals.