Andre Onana refused to rise to Virgil van Dijk’s jibe in the Anfield tunnel after Liverpool’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United.
The United goalkeeper and Liverpool captain were being interviewed in the aftermath of the goalless draw when the incident occurred.
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It was a frustrating day all around for the home side at AnfieldCredit: Getty
talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook was at the game and said Van Dijk accused Onana of time wasting. “Because of you, we only played a half-hour game,” Liverpool’s defender is alleged to have said.
In response, the Man United goalkeeper flashed a smile. Van Dijk was not happy at the draw and in his post-match interview lamented the visitors’ tactics.
“If you see how we played the game, we had most of the ball and created some opportunities. There was only one team trying to win the game.
“We want to win every game of course and that is why it is frustrating… sometimes we shot too easy and could have passed on the overlap. The right decision was sometimes lacking.
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“We carry on of course but it is frustrating because we were superior in all aspects…
“In the end they are buzzing with a point and we are very disappointed with a point.”
It riled former United captain Roy Keane, while talkSPORT host Ally McCoist told Jeff Stelling on the Breakfast show Van Dijk was a little naive with his comments.
“What does he expect? Man United to come and play to Liverpoolk’s strengths? He’s obviously frustrated,” McCoist acknowledged. “But it’s a naive comment to make. I only saw the highlights as I was travelling to London [from Glasgow] but it looked a really poor game.
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Van Dijk didn’t think much of Man United and told OnanaCredit: Twitter
Virgil van Dijk to Onana in the tunnel. ‘because of you we only played a half hour game.’ Onana responds with a smile #LFC #MUFC
— Alex Crook ⚽️🎙 (@alex_crook) December 17, 2023
“The fact is, Man United set up defensively, they were difficult to break down, they frustrated [Liverpool] and they got their point.
“Virgil van Dijk has probably made that statement with a little bit of frustration because he’ll be disappointed as it was a game that everybody fancied Liverpool to win on current form. They didn’t and [Van Dijk] has had a wee bite. I don’t think it was the cleverest of statements.”
Onana, meanwhile, is also likely to have annoyed Liverpool fans with his comments on the Anfield atmosphere.
When asked what he thought about it, the goalkeeper revealed he wasn’t remotely impressed. “I felt nothing,” he said.
This comment and the incident followed a decent performance from Onana in which he made eight saves to help the Red Devils end Liverpool’s run at home.
Before the game, Jurgen Klopp’s men had won 11 out of 11 home games this year, but despite having 34 shots at goal, the Reds couldn’t break down Erik ten Hag’s men.
It’s a result that leaves Liverpool second, just behind Arsenal in the title race, while Man United are now seventh, six points off the top four.
So it was certainly a better draw for Man United than it was for Liverpool, which could explain why Van Dijk was irritated, and Onana was chilled.
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The stats backed up what was an impressive defensive display from Man United
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