Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has backed Reds defender Virgil van Dijk despite the side's defensive shortcomings during their loss to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League on Tuesday.
The Reds suffered a 2-0 loss in Belgrade on Tuesday owing to a first half brace from Milan Pavkov, who sent the visitors packing on a memorable European night for Red Star.
Liverpool were punished due to a poor performance in the first half and could not force their way back into the game despite their improvement in the final 45 minutes of the game.
Van Dijk, who has been in stellar form for Liverpool since joining in January, failed to prevent Pavkov from breaking the deadlock following a corner and was not at his influential best at the back either.
However, Klopp has backed Van Dijk by claiming that players like the Dutchman always come under the scanner for one average performance due to the lofty standards they have set for themselves.
The Liverpool boss also insisted that he is not excited by comparisons or individual performances and reiterated that he is still very happy with Van Dijk.
“I am not a guy who likes these comparisons and stuff like that. I am really, really happy with him [and] Virg knows that”, Klopp told the club’s official website.
“With his skills and quality and stuff like that there is always a big responsibility as well, that you have to be spot on [and] on that level every day.
“That’s what everybody expects and we are all human beings.
"Tuesday [versus Red Star Belgrade] was not the same game as the Saturday before [against Arsenal], that’s how it is.”
Liverpool will next face bottom-placed Fulham at Anfield in the Premier League on Sunday.
