On Friday, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp announced the shocking decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the season as a result of what he tagged as the lack of energy to continue in such a demanding position.

The Reds played their first game since their announcement in an FA game against Norwich City at Anfield on Sunday. The Reds won the game 4-2, with goals from Curtis Jones, Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk, and Ryan Gravenberch ensuring victory.

Van Dyke stated after the game that the team is looking to end the season on a high for the German manager’s sake. Klopp has spent 8 years at Liverpool as their manager, and he has managed to win six trophies in that period, including a Premier League and a UEFA Champions League trophy.

The Dutch defender appreciated Klopp’s influence on Liverpool and his own career as a player, and hopes to give him a deserved end to the season.

“Today was always going to be a bit different. It was the first time that the manager was back in the stadium seeing all of the fans. The manager is here until the summer. We have to deal with the noise. It’s my job as captain to make sure it doesn’t reach our players. We have been through so much together, and I’m grateful for everything he has done for me, my family, and my career. Why not end on a high?” Van Dijk said.

This season, the Reds are still competing on all fronts, having reached the final of the Carabao Cup, where they will see Chelsea progress into the next round of the FA Cup, top of the Premier League table with a three-point advantage, and also in the next round of the UEFA Europa League.

Klopp will leave Liverpool at the end of the season and take a year-long break from football while promising not to ever coach a team in the Premier League again if he were to return to coach.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu