UPROAR AS FIRE DEATHS ARE MOCKED
LIVERPOOL are history makers because they are nerveless even in the most desperate of situations.
That is the view of Virgil van Dijk, the stand-in skipper who led his side to a dramatic comeback victory over West Ham on Monday night that takes them to within four wins of the title.
The towering centre-half was the first to concede his team were far from their best as they trailed their relegation-haunted opponents deep into the second half.
But, even then, Liverpool refused to panic, refused to believe they were beaten. Van Dijk reckons that is the real secret to the success of a team that now goes down in history as equalling two all-time records in 132 years of English top-flight football.
The win not only means they hold the record alongside Manchester City for the longest consecutive winning run in history – with 18 – but they have also matched the best run for consecutive home wins with 21, a record set previously by Liverpool themselves in 1972. And Van
Dijk said: “What is the secret? Not being nervous, that is the main thing. It was a big blow to concede after a set-piece but we showed mentality, we showed strength and didn’t get nervous.
“This team keeps going and keeps playing and keeps pressing.
“There will be moments when the opponent is going to have problems if we keep doing the same thing.”
The records keep piling up for Liverpool. They have now gone 44 games unbeaten, and are second in top-flight English football history behind the Arsenal side who went 49 matches without defeat from May 2003 to October 2004.
If the Gunners of 2003-04 are the Invincibles, then the Reds are the Inevitables,
because the title is now all-but guaranteed, given they have dropped two points all season, and require just 12 more from their final 33 to be crowned champions.
Yet for all the plaudits surrounding their recordbreaking run,
Holland star
Liverpool ............... Leicester ............... Man City ................ Wolves ................... Chelsea ................. Arsenal ...................
BRADFORD have complained to the FA over chants mocking the Valley Parade fire during Saturday’s game at Newport. League Two County have apologised to Bradford and to boss Stuart Mccall (below), who was also verbally abused. Mccall, whose father was among the hundreds injured, was part of the club’s squad when the fire claimed 56 lives in May 1985. Bradford director of communications Ryan Sparks said: “Such repulsive chanting should not be tolerated by anyone and we have made our position clear to the FA.
“We were astounded to witness the tragedy being mocked.”