Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has expressed his one regret in a near-perfect season for the Dutchman.
Van Dijk was appointed skipper of his club following on from Jordan Henderson's departure in the summer and has been imperious at the heart of the Reds backline.
The former Southampton defender has played 35 appearances in all competitions and marshalled a side who have had to blood in a number of young players amid an injury crisis.
Perhaps his most commanding and impressive display was in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley, where he headed home the winner in extra time.
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Van Dijk lifted his first bit of silverware as captain but the 32-year-old expressed regret over his actions post-match.
He turned to the camera and said the phrase, "And they thought I was finished" - sending a message to those who doubted him.
But Van Dijk wishes he didn't say it and puts his comment down to on the day emotions.
“I shouldn’t have said that,” he said in an interview with The Guardian.
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"Because I don’t want to have the wrong intentions. That was part of the emotion coming out of me because there were so many emotions going through my whole body that day. Last season was disappointing. Not disappointing in a way that I was bad. I didn’t feel like that at all; I was just below my standards and the consistency wasn’t there that I have had and set for myself in every game.
"I fully understand the noise that came with it but I am a human being and not immune to any of that. There was a bit of emotion that day but I shouldn’t have said that."
Van Dijk has set very high standards ever since his £75 million move to Liverpool and accepts that last term wasn't his best season.
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Yet he believes he's found another level again, improving in multiple areas while wearing the armband.
“I feel very comfortable this season in every aspect of the game. Obviously confidence is a big driver but in general I think I have made big steps in possession.
"The manager said the other day that it is not just as simple as wearing the armband and I think there are a lot of things that just clicked again. I feel really good and the responsibility I have has helped that, but I feel that I have made steps again. I made steps in possession, steps in the way I defend and I really enjoy that.”
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Next up for Liverpool is a huge FA Cup quarter-final clash with Manchester United on Sunday.
Topics: Liverpool, Virgil Van Dijk
Josh Lawless