Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk showcased his leadership skills with a powerful pre-match speech ahead of their FA Cup clash against Southampton.
Jurgen Klopp's decision to put his faith in youth paid off again on Wednesday night, just days after he played a number of academy players in their Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea.
Conor Bradley, Jarell Quansah, Bobby Clark, James McConnell and Lewis Koumas, the son of former Premier League midfielder Jason, started in a youthful line-up with an average age of 23.
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Then, after replacing Koumas in the 63rd-minute, highly-rated teenager Jayden Danns came off the bench to score a brace as Liverpool came out deserved 3-0 winners.
A day after they secured their place in the quarter-finals of this season's FA Cup, the club posted behind-the-scenes footage from Wed
nesday's game on their YouTube channel.
As well as showing the players arriving at Anfield, cameras captured Virgil van Dijk motivating his teammates with a brilliant pre-match speech in the Anfield tunnel.
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“Help each other, push each other. Stick together no matter what happens boys," he says. "Go for it, enjoy it, be brave, full of confidence, everything we do. We defend together, we attack together. Let’s go!”
Here's how fans on social media reacted to the moment.
One said: "The man just exudes confidence and cool charisma. As a young kid how could you not go into a game feeling ten feet tall after a chat from him?"
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A second wrote: "What a captain we have here. Leads by example, man mountain and demands the very best from everyone on the pitch. Henderson jumping ship was a blessing in the end, cause this fellas the real deal."
A third commented: "How many brick walls would you run through if Virg said this to you?" and a fourth said: "He sounds like Maximus leading his gladiators into the Colosseum."
A fifth added: "Undoubtedly he’s going to become a legendary coach one day."
Speaking after their win over former club Southampton, Van Dijk said he will "make sure" the club's youngsters continue to work hard after their first-team breakthrough.
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"It was a big night for all of them and they should really take it in, enjoy it, see it as a start and really use it in every way," he said.
"They all have quality and all can play good football, but it is about showing your quality and it's a start. For example, Trey at 16 years old, it is incredible.
"There will be so many ups and downs coming for him, but he has to take it in as players [are] maybe coming back in the next weeks and months and it could be difficult for him [to get in the squad].
"He has to keep pushing and the same for the rest of the young boys. That should be the mentality and I am sure they will do that."
Van Dijk added: "In my career, I've seen players who make their debuts after coming through the ranks and then disappear.
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"Even learning from being around the first team is massive and you should soak it all in and don't get carried away.
"They have to keep improving, keep working; staying humble is a very important thing but we have a great culture and I'm definitely one of the guys to make sure they keep doing that."
Featured Image Credit: Liverpool FC/YouTubeTopics: Virgil Van Dijk, Liverpool, Southampton, FA Cup
