It is a physical game – Virgil van Dijk brushes off early Kai Havertz flashpoint

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has dismissed claims he should have been sent off in his side’s 2-2 draw at Arsenal by describing his off-the-ball clash with Kai Havertz as “part and parcel of the game”.

In just the sixth minute, Havertz was left in a heap on the Emirates Stadium turf after Van Dijk pushed him aside with his right arm and then appeared to strike the German twice with his left leg.

Although Bukayo Saka opened the scoring for Arsenal, Van Dijk headed home from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner later in the opening period to draw his side level.

Mohamed Salah then struck in the 81st minute to rescue a point for the Reds after Mikel Merino had earlier restored Arsenal’s one-goal advantage.

But commenting on the early flashpoint with Havertz, Van Dijk said: “It is a physical game, and these things happen.

“If you watch the battle we had during the game, it goes both ways, and that is part and parcel of the game.”

Arsenal ended the game with a makeshift backline after both Gabriel and Jurrien Timber were unable to complete the fixture.

A suspended William Saliba was also missing from Arsenal’s defence, while Riccardo Calafiori did not feature after he picked up a knee injury in Arsenal’s Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Captain Martin Odegaard remains sidelined with an ankle problem.

Salah’s equaliser presented Liverpool with the chance to exploit the depleted Gunners, but Arne Slot’s players appeared content with a draw that left them just one point behind Manchester City and four clear of Arsenal.

And in a jibe at the north London side, Van Dijk continued: “We keep speaking about them missing players, and big players being out, but that is part of football and we will also miss certain players.

“We are in October, and people said that if you lose today, you will lose the league. They have absolutely no clue in my opinion because this season is so, so long and there are so many twists and turns that could happen and will happen, but we focus on the games ahead.

“The team that sets a very good foundation before December, and then goes through December in the best-way possible, without any injuries and good results, has a good chance to be top of the league.

“But we focus on one game at a time. It was a tough one here for both sides. We got a point. We go back and we focus on Brighton (in the Carabao Cup) because that one will be a tough game on Wednesday as well.”