FORMER Celtic favourite Virgil van Dijk celebrated becoming a record-breaker at Ibrox last night.
The ex-Hoops central defender played his part in Liverpool’s rampaging 7-1 triumph over Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s shell-shocked side in the one-sided Champions League Group A encounter.
The 31-year-old Dutch international captain was all smiles afterwards as he pronounced it “a great night in Glasgow” as the Govan club conceded seven goals on their own turf for the first time.
HAPPY DAZE…Virgil van Dijk looks happy after the Ibrox landslide.
Amazingly, the home side opened the scoring in the 17th minute through Scott Arfield and were then hit by an avalanche of goals from the rampant visitors.
As the efforts flew past the overworked Allan McGregor, Anfield striker Mohamed Salah claimed the quickest-ever hat-trick in Europe’s top-flight with a trio in the space of just six minutes and 12 seconds.
The Merseyside outfit ran riot as Roberto Firmino’s double either side of half-time wiped out Arfield’s strike and then Darwin Nunez slotted No.3 low beyond McGregor. Salah went into overdrive as he piled on the misery for Van Bronckhorst and Co before Harvey Elliott made it seven and hell for the home club.
SUPER MO…Liverpool dangerman Mohamed Salah curls an effort round Borna Barisic for one of his record-breaking hat-trick as he runs amok at Ibrox.
JUST LIKE THAT…glee in Govan for Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Van Dijk enjoyed a two-year spell at Parkhead after joining in 2013 and won two Premiership medals on the club’s way to their second nine in a row.
The elegant back-four performer had played against the Govan side before – a 2-0 League Cup semi-final victory in February 2015 – but never at Ibrox and Van Dijk was quick to correct BT Sport presenter Des Kelly when he incorrectly stated he had played at the venue.
Kelly asked: “You’re one of the players to have actually played here in the Scottish League Cup a few years ago, you would have known…”
Van Djik interrupted the presenter to say: “I’ve never played here. No, the game was at Hampden, so it was my first time here and obviously it was a great result. A great night in Glasgow.”
The Dutch ace and his team-mates almost certainly booked their place in the knock-out stages with last night’s opponents out of the competition without a point after four consecutive losses in which they have conceded an alarming SIXTEEN goals.
FOOTNOTE: In an earlier manifestation of the Ibrox club, Celtic beat them 7-1 in the 1957 League Cup Final which still remains the biggest winning margin in a Scottish showpiece game.
