Virgil van Dijk has insisted that the ongoing rivalry between Liverpool and Manchester City remains the same in his eyes, despite the guilty verdict handed down against City — though he has signalled he will speak more openly on the matter once the full process has run its course.

The Liverpool captain addressed the subject with characteristic composure, declining to alter his view of one of English football's most intense rivalries based on the current legal outcome alone. Van Dijk made clear that his perspective on the rivalry has not shifted as a result of the verdict.

However, he left the door open for a fuller assessment, indicating that he intends to share his thoughts in detail once proceedings have fully concluded. His measured response reflects the caution many players have shown when asked to weigh in on one of the most significant cases in the history of the Premier League.

Manchester City face a range of charges relating to alleged breaches of financial rules — a case that has cast a long shadow over English football for several years. The verdict represents a landmark moment, though the broader consequences for City and the league are still being determined.

For Van Dijk and Liverpool, the focus remains firmly on the pitch. The two clubs have defined an era of English football between them, trading titles and pushing each other to extraordinary heights across the past decade.