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Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk has backed Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to shine in his debut season in the Premier League, comparing him with new Reds signing Darwin Nunez.
Haaland, who joined City from Borussia Dortmund for £51 million, made his competitive debut for his new club in a 3-1 defeat against the Reds in the Community Shield on July 30. The 22-year-old, though, failed to impress in his first outing, missing two clear opportunities.
Speaking to The Times (via Anfield Watch), Van Dijk shared his two cents on the Norwegian after marking him for the entire game on Saturday. He lauded the City player, saying:
"He (Haaland) will make defenders' lives in England horrible. He is so direct; he has everything; he can head the ball; he is quick; we kept him at bay. He had maybe two chances, but other than that, we did well together. I'm not going to give him too much advice, but I think he will know he has to focus on his own game and not worry about what others have to say."
He added:
"There’s pressure with others coming in for a big price tag. What can you do about that? You come into a club to perform; the club pays a big transfer fee; you can't control that. You have to keep your head down, and in this case, score as many goals for Manchester City as possible. That's the same for Darwin in our case, and, hopefully, we can see Darwin scoring more."
Nunez arrived at Anfield from Benfica in a deal worth up to £85 million. He got off to a brilliant start with the Reds last weekend. After coming on as a substitute in the Community Shield, Nunez helped his team earn a penalty and also scored a deft header on his debut.
Haaland netted 27 goals and provided five assists in 29 games for Borussia Dortmund last season. Meanwhile, Nunez registered 34 goals and four assists in 41 outings for Benfica. Both strikers will hope to light up the Premier League, coming off productive campaigns.
Roberto Firmino breaks silence on his Liverpool future
According to the Liverpool Echo, striker Roberto Firmino has attracted a £19.5 million bid from Juventus this summer, but the 30-year-old has put his Liverpool exit rumours to rest. Speaking to TNT Sports Brasil, he said:
"I love this team, this city and the fans. I'm here. I want to stay, of course."
The Brazilian has registered 98 goals and 74 assists in 327 games across competitions for Liverpool. He scored 11 goals and provided five assists last season will hope for better returns this time.
