The defender scored in Friday’s 2-0 win at Wolves to maintain the Reds’ unbeaten Premier League season and ensure they will be top at Christmas.
Mohamed Salah netted his 14th goal of the season in the first half before teeing up Van Dijk’s game-clinching second.
In eight of the last nine campaigns the team top at Christmas have won the league – except Liverpool in 2013 – but Van Dijk remained calm ahead of a mammoth clash with title rivals Manchester City on January 3.
He said: “There’s a long way to go yet. It’s a position that everyone wants to be in and we are in it at the moment. That’s the only thing it is and we need to keep going.
“The next game is Newcastle United on Wednesday and then Arsenal and Manchester City, so it can change but we are not going to think about that. We take it game by game.”
Enjoy your Saturday, Reds. 😉 pic.twitter.com/Ow5qMVFxuj
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) 22 December 2018
The defender netted his first Liverpool goal since his £75million move from Southampton in January.
He poked in Salah’s cross midway through the second half as the Reds also kept their 11th league clean sheet of the season.
They have conceded just five goals in the top flight this term.
“I’m more happy that I’m keeping clean sheets with my team and winning games,” Van Dijk told Liverpoolfc.com.
“Obviously scoring a goal is a bonus and obviously a very proud moment and hopefully there’s more to come, but I’m more focused on winning games.
“We are very happy and at the end I am happy with the win. In the first half we were a bit sloppy at times, but second half we did it well and we are very happy that we won.
“It’s a very tough place to come with these circumstances and how they play. They have shown throughout the season they are very good and disciplined and they have a clear idea.
“We knew before and it’s how we reacted to it and in the second half we dominated and created good chances.”
