Virgil van Dijk makes 'frustrating' Man United admission after Liverpool 'shock'

Virgil van Dijk admits Liverpool's disappointing season was a "shock" but believes he is now fully recovered from a difficult campaign

Van Dijk came in for criticism after a series of below-par performances for Liverpool, and was also singled out in his native Holland despite skippering the national side to the last eight

Van Dijk

"I have had a turbulent season and I am happy that the last three months went well. I am comfortable in my skin again and am consistent.

“That’s also what I was used to in the last five years. It was a shock that it was not consistent enough as a team this year.

“You can only come out of it by dealing with it, inside and outside the pitch. I think I was able to do that well, with help from my wife and people at the club. I’m happy with that."

Van Dijk added: “To give an example, against (Manchester) United we won 7-0, but then the next game at Bournemouth you lose 1-0. That’s just very frustrating. Then you look for answers and your form.

"It went too much with ups and downs, but that’s also part of an athlete’s life. You cannot perform at your absolute best every game.”