The £75 million signing enjoyed an "unbelievable" bow, in which he scored the winner, but the night was soured by unpleasant scenes
Jurgen Klopp’s initial plan had been to delay Virgil van Dijk’s debut, so the world’s most expensive defender would have a better opportunity to be “fine-tuned” with his team-mates. On Friday morning, however, Liverpool’s manager had a change of mind and decided his new acquisition would get his first start in the combustive atmosphere of a Merseyside derby.
He was acutely aware that any analysis of the third-round FA Cup test against Everton would place the 26-year-old’s performance under the microscope given his £75 million price tag.