Van Dijk shines in Liverpool debut

LIVERPOOL, England — It couldn’t have gone any better for Virgil van Dijk on his Liverpool debut.

Signed last week for $100 million US as the world’s most expensive defender, Van Dijk scored an 84th-minute winner against Everton — Liverpool’s fierce local rival — in front of the storied Kop stand at Anfield in the third round of the FA Cup on Friday.

“Playing at Anfield for Liverpool is a dream for every player,” the Netherlands defender said after the 2-1 win in the 230th Merseyside derby. “To score a goal is even more special.”

Manchester United also left it late to qualify for the fourth round, with midfielder Jesse Lingard and striker Romelu Lukaku scoring in the final six minutes of regulation time in a 2-0 victory over second-tier Derby County at Old Trafford.

The third round continues across today, Sunday and Monday.

At Anfield, Kevin Keegan, Michael Owen, Luis Suarez and Mohamed Salah are among those to have scored in their Liverpool debuts. Add Virgil van Dijk to the list. Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said the centre back wasn’t “fine-tuned” following his bigmoney move from Southampton and he wasn’t even going to start him until the morning of the match, when he changed his mind.

Van Dijk looked a bit rusty with the ball at his feet but was commanding in the air throughout, no more so than when he leapt in front of Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at a corner to head the ball into an empty net.

“I think something like that is quite special,” Klopp said.

James Milner put Liverpool ahead in the 35th minute by converting a penalty, contentiously awarded after Adam Lallana fell to the ground after Mason Holgate placed his hands on the chest of the Liverpool midfielder.

Everton barely threatened in the first half but was much more dangerous after the break, equalizing through Gylfi Sigurdsson after a counterattack following a Liverpool corner.