Van Dijk defers comment on City case until appeal ends

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said he would wait until Manchester City’s appeal over a financial-rules verdict is concluded before sharing his view of the case, while maintaining that he enjoyed the clubs’ rivalry on the field. His comments came after City beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield on Sunday, in the teams’ first meeting since the verdict was announced. The match turned after Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch was sent off for a second yellow card in the 62nd minute. City scored soon afterward and added two more goals to secure the win. Van Dijk said the dismissal changed the contest but that Liverpool could not use it as an excuse for the defeat. City has appealed the commission’s findings and denies wrongdoing. The case remains unresolved. Van Dijk said it was not appropriate for him to comment in detail while the appeal was ongoing, adding that he would probably share his opinion once the process had reached a conclusion. His remarks do not determine the merits of the case. The Liverpool captain also separated the financial case from his memories of competing against City for titles.