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Virgil van Dijk admits Arne Slot was the angriest he has been at Liverpool during half time of Saturday's 3-1 win over Southampton.

And the Reds captain says the head coach had every right to be after a disappointing first period that saw the rock-bottom Saints take a shock lead.

Will Smallbone capitalised on a mix up between Alisson Becker and Van Dijk in first-half stoppage time to give the visitors the prospect of a major upset against the runaway league leaders.



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However, Darwin Nunez equalised with his seventh of the campaign shortly after the restart before two Mohamed Salah penalties sealed the win that moved the Reds to within six wins of league title No.20.

READ MORE:'His words changed the game' - National media make Darwin Nunez point as Liverpool beat SouthamptonREAD MORE:Anfield atmosphere gives game away as Liverpool points total target becomes clear

Van Dijk conceded Slot was furious during the 15-minute break and accepted his boss was within his rights to call out the performance after he had watched on from the stands due to a touchline suspension.

"I think he wasn’t happy and he had every right to not be," Van Dijk said.

"No-one was really happy with the first half performance but like I said, we are all human beings and we had no intention to play the first half like we did but, unfortunately we did, but we turned it around.

But we did what we all wanted in the second half and what he wanted as well and now we move on.

"It was both [physical and mental].

No-one wants to play the first half as we did but sometimes, as footballers and [because of] the opponent, you have a first half like we did today.

After the game in Paris I said nice things about him.

"But everyone who is not playing or starting, it must be frustrating because everyone is working so hard, but we are at the decisive part of the season and everyone has to keep working and when your time is there, when your moment is there, you have to make the most out of it and show your qualities and he obviously did that in the last game and today he was solid in the second half as well.

"And he has to keep going, there are only a couple of months left until the end of the season and we need everyone to be at their best.

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"I think in the second half everyone showed their usual self again and Lucho (Luis Diaz) was very important.