Virgil van Dijk has publicly stated that his international teammate, **Devyne Simons** of **Tottenham Hotspur**, did not intend to injure him during a recent Premier League match. This comment follows Simons’ dismissal for a challenge that resulted in a red card after a review by the **Video Assistant Referee** (VAR). The incident occurred in the first half of the match on **December 3, 2023**, as Liverpool faced Spurs in North London.
The challenge saw Simons rake his studs down the back of Van Dijk’s calf, prompting the referee to take action after consulting VAR. This decision significantly influenced the match, allowing Liverpool to secure a 2-1 victory and move up to fifth in the Premier League table, while Spurs fell to 13th.
“I don’t think there was any intention to hurt me,” Van Dijk said. “But obviously, he hurt me, and then the referee and VAR made the decision to send him off. I spoke to him. It’s a chat that no one needs to know.”
Liverpool’s win, however, came with a price as forward **Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain** was forced off the pitch shortly after scoring the opening goal. The 26-year-old appeared to be in significant pain following a collision with Spurs defender **Cristian Romero**. The club is now awaiting further assessments to determine the severity of his injury.
“Injuries, unfortunately, are part of football, and hopefully, with Alex, it’s not too bad,” Van Dijk noted. “He scored a great goal. It’s too soon after the game to know the extent of it. We all saw how bad it looked with Alex, but hopefully, it won’t be too bad.”
Despite the injury concerns, Liverpool remains unbeaten in their last six matches across all competitions. The match against Spurs concluded with a tense finish, as Liverpool narrowly avoided conceding a last-minute equaliser from the nine-man Spurs side. Van Dijk reflected on the chaotic final moments, stating, “The immediate reaction coming off was that it was a chaotic last five to 10 minutes. It wasn’t great, but to get the three points is massive.”
The Dutch defender emphasized the need for analysis and improvement, particularly after conceding a goal that energized the Spurs supporters. “When you concede a goal and their fans get behind them like they did, it’s never easy to make the right decisions and find the right solutions,” he said. “That’s something we can improve, but I don’t think it’s worrying. It’s a transition, and we need to keep getting better.”
Looking ahead, Van Dijk acknowledged the importance of maintaining composure as the team prepares for their next match. “Winning more and getting results is always positive. Losing games, especially at a club like Liverpool, is always bad. For us, it’s about staying calm and taking each game as it comes. Today we won. Now we have a couple of days off to recover and then focus on **Wolverhampton Wanderers**. It will be a tough game. I saw their game against Spurs; Wolves will make it difficult for us, and we have to be ready for that.”
As the team approaches the festive season, Van Dijk also stressed the significance of family and health. “First, we have Christmas. Being with your family and being healthy are the most important things in life.”
