‘If not for the dumb errors, the scoreline may have changed’: Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk blasts Arsenal fans for celebrating Liverpool’s loss as if they had already won the league trophy

Virgil van Dijk has accepted responsibility for the series of blunders that led to Arsenal’s second goal in their 3-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday.

After being battered in the first half, Liverpool clawed their way back into the game in the early stages of the second half, but one long ball up to Gabriel Martinelli with 25 minutes remaining altered everything.

The unusual bounce surprised both Van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson, who charged off his line. The Liverpool duo failed to clear the ball, instead handing it to Martinelli to score into an empty net.

“I take full responsibility for that,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports after the game. “That is an important moment in the game.

“After the break, we were so good, had so many opportunities, and dominated, that the atmosphere became anxious. The turning point is my duty, and I should endeavor to clear it. Obviously, this does not happen very often in my work, but I will recover from it.

“This is a physical game, and I’m not looking for excuses. At the highest level, there is a divided decision. Alisson touched me briefly and was unable to clear it, but I accept full responsibility for this and will work to ensure that it does not happen again.

“Obviously, for every side in the league, the Emirates is a difficult venue to visit. In the FA Cup, we were under a lot of strain.