Setelah gol penalti James Milner di babak pertama mampu dibalas Gilfy Sigurdsson, van Dijk mencuat di menit-menit akhir untuk menentukan kemenangan laskar Jürgen Klopp 2-1.
Di pertandingan ini, Liverpool menurunkan bek termahalnya, Virgil van Dijk, sejak menit awal. Terlihat pertahanan The Reds cukup kukuh dalam membendung manuver-manuver tim tamu.
Tuan rumah mendapatkan momentum bagus saat laga memasuki menit ke-25. Milner berada pada ruang yang bagus untuk melepas tembakan. Sayang, aksinya itu masih melenceng dari sararan, tipis saja.
Demikian juga upaya Sadio Mane delapan menit kemudian. Dari luar kotak penalti, bintang Senegal ini menjajal gawang The Toffees. Akan tetapi, dentumannya itu melambung tinggi di atas mistar gawang.
Kebuntuan pertandingan akhirnya terpecahkan menginjak menit ke-35. Liverpool mendapatkan hadiah penalti dan Milner maju sebagai eksekutor. Sang wakil kapten menjalankan tugasnya dengan sempurna.
Liverpool langsung tancap gas di paruh kedua melalui tandukan Joe Gomez dari jarak dekat. Nahas, sentuhan sang bek tidak menjurus ke sasaran. Papan skor belum berubah.
Sejurus kemudian, giliran Adam Lallana yang coba membawa keunggulan ganda bagi timnya. Namun, tembakannya dari luar box Everton masih melebar. Demikian juga usaha Andy Robertson.
Di menit ke-63, van Dijk menunjukkan kebolehannya di hadapan publik Anfield, menyambut bola dengan sundulan. Sayang, aksi sang defender termahal dunia ini hanya nyaris berbuah gol.
Alih-alih menggandakan skor, tuan rumah justru kecolongan menginjak menit ke-67. Sigurdsson mencuat untuk menyeimbangkan skor jadi 1-1. Akan tetapi, keunggulan Everton tak bertahan lama.
Enam menit sebelum pertadingan bubar, sang rekrutan anyar van Dijk mendonasi gol debut bagi Liverpool. Menyambut umpan matang Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, bek internasional Belanda ini mencocornya dengan tepat sasaran. 2-1.
Gol van Dijk sekaligus memastikan Liverpool melaju ke putaran keempat Piala FA.
"Menjadi kapten Liverpool adalah hal tersulit di dunia sepak bola, karena sosok terakhir yang mengenakan ban kapten sebelum dia adalah Steven Gerrard."
Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah have been nominated for the PFA Player of the Month award for December - and your votes could help them clinch the prize.
The pair played a crucial role in Liverpool avoiding defeat in the eight fixtures they contested across all competitions last month, with five of those ending in victory.
And their contributions to that run of good form has seen the duo shortlisted for the PFA gong that Salah collected in November.
Click here to cast your vote now.
Get Liverpool FC updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Philippe Coutinho reportedly wants a £13million signing-on bonus to join Barcelona.
Liverpool are increasingly resigned to losing the Brazilian playmaker this month, but are determined to do it on their terms.
The Reds have rejected the idea of "unrealistic bonus payments" which involve Coutinho winning the Ballon d'Or during his time at Barcelona.
Barca are willing to commit to a deal which could end up costing them a staggering £140m, despite initially only wanting to pay £106m upfront.
However, it appears now that Coutinho could throw a spanner in the works, as he wants £13m to make the switch to the Nou Camp, according to Mundo Deportivo.
(Image: AFP)
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
Speaking at his press conference ahead of Friday's FA Cup tie against Everton, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp refused to be drawn on the issue of Coutinho's future , and insisted that his players aren't distracted by the possibility of losing one of their best players.
“All the stories around are no problem," he said.
"This story is not around since yesterday. It has been around since the summer and did you at any moment get the impression this team is distracted because of transfer rumours?
“No. We are focused on what we have an influence on. All the rest we have to ignore.”
