VIRGIL VAN DIJK said Liverpool’s dramatic 2-2 draw at Manchester United felt like a defeat after throwing away two points in the Premier League title race.
The visitors dominated the majority of the game but needed a Mohamed Salah penalty six minutes from time to avoid defeat after spectacular strikes from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo.
The draw leaves Liverpool behind leaders Arsenal on goal difference and just one point ahead of Manchester City with seven games remaining in the tightest of title races.
Despite United’s struggles this season, Liverpool have failed to beat Erik ten Hag’s men in three meetings this season.
United edged a thrilling FA Cup quarter-final 4-3 three weeks ago and emerged with a 0-0 draw at Anfield in December.
“It feels like a loss,” said Van Dijk. “It is our fault again.
“We had so many chances and we should finish the game off.”
Should the Reds fail to mark Jurgen Klopp’ final season in charge by winning a 20th English top-flight title, to match United’s record, they will look back on this day and wonder how they failed to win.
Klopp saw United throw a spanner in the works but he does not expect Ten Hag’s side to do them any favours when Arsenal come calling.
The German said he was “absolutely fine” with their situation after two dropped points kept the Gunners top of the table on goal difference.
They are due at Old Trafford on the penultimate weekend of the season, but the Liverpool boss does not hold out much hope of a helping hand.
“Probably if we are still around then it would be great but Arsenal is a good football team and if they (United) play like they did today Arsenal will win that game, I’m 100% sure,” said Klopp, whose side took just two points off United this season.
“I’m really sorry to say it, but we should have won both games and didn’t. That’s our fault.
“The feelings are obviously mixed. I’m happy with a lot of parts of the game, being 1-0 up at Old Trafford and having a 15-0 shooting stat (in the first half) is incredible. We should and could have been calmer and clearer in moments,” added Klopp, who was left to rue failing to capitalise on their first-half dominance.
“It (league position) matters after 38 matchdays. People and our supporters as well will tell us now we need to better our goal difference and go for that – that would be the dumbest thing we could do.
“We are who we are and we are how we are and that’s why we are in the race. I’m absolutely fine with that.
“We are fine with our situation. I wish we had more points, but I’m absolutely fine and over the moon actually that these boys brought us into that situation.
“The same boys who missed today a few chances are the boys who brought us 71 points.”
United boss Ten Hag was equally happy with how his side responded after being outplayed for large parts of the game.
“First half we lost the duels and our decision-making in the half spaces, we weren’t quick enough,” he said.
“We encouraged the team at half-time to win those duels. We didn’t take advantage in the first half and the second half we did.
“We needed a moment in the game to punish a mistake of Liverpool, but that got us back in the game.
“It (their second goal) was a very good team goal, a goal from out of the game plan, so I’m very proud the team could transfer this in the way we did to get the ball to the far-side half-space and then switch and then that finish was brilliant.”
Ten Hag also had praise for 19-year-old centre-back Willy Kambwala on only his second Premier League start.
“The decision? Old soldiers die and new have to come in. Already a long time he has been training with us and his progress is amazing during training, we didn’t have any doubt,” he added.
“We were convinced he could do the job, I’m very pleased he could do the performance. It’s another signal and message for Manchester United has high potential.
“If you have more players available, especially in the backline where we have had 27 combinations over the course of the season, the future will be very good.”
However, Ten Hag was not happy his side capitulated late on for the third successive game.
“It’s very disappointing when you put yourselves three times in the week in a winning position just before the end of the game, but then drop points,” he said.
“We have all seen some poor decisions. All three games had poor decisions and not every time the same players.
“We have to improve. The sooner the better.”
Additional reporting – PA Sport
