‘He looks like’ - What Liverpool’s captain said about 18-year-old Irish sensation

Virgil Van Dijk spoke on the rise of Evan Ferguson prior to their 2-1 victory over Ireland at the weekend.

His Dutch side earned a late win thanks to an 86th minute winner from the former Manchester United forward after conceding an early opener.

Van Dijk, 31, was penalised for a handball from a corner in the opening few minutes, as VAR intervened to award a penalty that was promptly put away by Adam Idah.

However, it was a certainly a flash moment in which Van Dijk had little time to move his arm out of the way of the ball after it was flicked on.

Nevertheless, his side secured their third win in four games of the Euro 2024 qualifiers which sees them sit in second place with a game in hand on leaders France, who sit six points ahead of them.

Prior to the win over Ireland, Van Dijk was asked about the threat of 18-year-old sensation Ferguson, who has shone for Brighton over the course of the last year - as he praised the young star.

“If you score a hat-trick just before the international break, then he was definitely going to be in a good shape and full of confidence,” Van Dijk told reporters at the Aviva Stadium, when asked about Ferguson.

“He looks like he’s a promising striker for Ireland for now and the future, and that’s definitely a big blow for them.”

Ferguson, 18, netted a hattrick during the 3-1 victory over Newcastle before the international break, making him only the fourth player to score three in a top flight fixture since 1992, following in the footsteps of Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Chris Bart-Williams.

He already has 14 goals and four assists in 33 games for Brighton at senior level and he has two goals in six appearances for the senior national team after making his debut in November 2022.