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Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates with Virgil van Dijk after scoring their side's third goal during the Premier League match at Carrow Road, Norwich. Picture date: Saturday August 14, 2021.

Watch: Virgil van Dijk hilariously celebrates *before* Salah scores pen

Planet Football •

As Liverpool played Brighton in the Premier League’s lunchtime kick-off on Saturday, Virgil van Dijk showed that his confidence in Mohamed Salah is sky-high by celebrating as if Salah had scored before the Egyptian had even taken his second-half penalty at the AMEX Stadium.

Liverpool travelled to Brighton for the early kick-off looking to maintain an incredible record, having not lost a Premier League game so far in 2022.

They managed to do so in convincing style, with a 2-0 win sealed through a first-half goal from Luis Diaz and a second-half penalty from their Egyptian King Mo Salah.

The main point of discussion in the game came with Diaz goal. Though Liverpool’s Colombian forward managed to stick the ball in the net after Joel Matip’s fine through ball, he was immediately, and rather brutally, taken out by Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

It looked for all the world as if Sanchez should be sent from the field. But on-pitch referee Mike Dean brandished a yellow and the VAR deemed, after a review, that Dean should not go to the screen to have another look.

Diaz got up and dusted himself down, however, and Liverpool stretched their lead in the second period.

After Luis Diaz had dribbled the ball into the penalty area, a Naby Keita shot hit Yves Bissouma’s outstretched arm and Mike Dean pointed to the spot.

Salah was the man to take it and as he did Liverpool centre-half Virgil van Dijk watched on full of confidence. So confident was Van Dijk, in fact, that he started to raise his arms in celebration before Salah had even struck the ball.

The big Dutchman’s confidence proved well-placed. Salah whacked the ball emphatically down the middle of the goal and into the back of the onion bag.

A few minutes later, Salah went off injured, a scene which would have even the calmest Liverpool fan chewing their fingernails.

But Jurgen Klopp allayed any fears after the game, saying that Salah was “not 100%” but that “he thinks it is not serious.”

Reds will be hoping that assessment is correct, so they, like Van Dijk, can keep celebrating Salah’s goals – perhaps even before Salah shoots.


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