Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk spoke to the press after the 3-2 victory over Newcastle in the second round of the Premier League.

The player said: "We all know that playing here is difficult. We knew that there was a lot of oil poured on the fire this week to ignite Newcastle's enthusiasm, what happened tonight was expected, and for us, the disappointing part is that we conceded two goals from set pieces, and that shouldn't happen. But overall, three great points, we move on and focus on the next match."

He added: "Free kicks, corners... when they press, they have the quality. If you look at the big teams (the top 6) that played here last season, you'll find that only a few managed to win against them. Playing here is always difficult. I enjoy this atmosphere, and I was excited for it, but we could have made it easier on ourselves if we hadn't given them those set pieces. Because by doing so, you give them a boost and a feeling of enthusiasm with the fans behind them. However, we managed to get the three points and move forward."

Regarding the violent challenge from Anthony Gordon that led to his sending off, Van Dijk said: "I told him: if that's not a red card, I don't understand football. It was strange for the referee to have to go to the video screen in my opinion. Unfortunately, these things happen in football, whether intentional or not, it happened, and we have to move on."

The Liverpool captain also spoke about the winning goal scored by the 16-year-old, Rio Ngumoh: "It's the beginning of a dream for him. I think the whole attack was very good. I believe Harvey started it from our right side, and Szoboszlai left the ball with a great feint. It was a perfect attack. We kept calm in the end and found the right solution to score the goal."

He concluded: "I am very happy for Rio, and I have already told him that it starts from now. He has to keep working hard and stay humble, but he should enjoy this moment because such nights don't happen often in his position. And I am sure that with the group we have, he will be back tomorrow for a strong training session."