Van Dijk: Man City's guilty verdict does not change our great rivalry with Liverpool

Virgil van Dijk insists Liverpool's rivalry with Manchester City should not be looked at any differently despite City being found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules — but the Liverpool captain says he will share his full opinion once the process has run its course.

City beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield on Sunday, with Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki netting after Ryan Gravenberch saw red in the 62nd minute. The game came on the back of an international break in which City were found guilty of having breached the Premier League's financial rules between 2009 and 2018 — 114 charges in total, according to BBC reporting. City have appealed and insist on their innocence.

City and Liverpool had a fierce rivalry when Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp were at the helm, but Van Dijk does not look back on those days any differently in the wake of the guilty verdict.

"No, because I really enjoyed our rivalry and it was a great rivalry on the pitch," he said. "What happened off the pitch is for others to find a conclusion on and then let's see."

"It's still a little bit ongoing so I don't think it's smart for me to comment on it right now, but when the verdict comes out I will definitely have my opinion and I will probably share it as well. But for now I don't think it's a smart thing to do."

'Everyone could hear it'

City's players were jeered throughout by the home crowd, with sections of Liverpool's support chanting "cheats" towards the end of the match. Reds fans held up half-and-half scarves reading "Shamchester City – The Cheats", while banners inside the stadium carried messages such as "A Generation Of Supporters Cheated".

"I think everyone could hear it," Van Dijk said. "Everyone can share their feelings and I don't think Anfield will be the only place where it will be the case, because fans will have their feelings. But for players, I don't think it is a good idea at this moment in time."