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Virgil van Dijk says playing against Rangers was easy

John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
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Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk played against Ibrox club Glasgow Rangers when he was at Celtic.

15th September 2018, Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland; Ladbrokes Premiership football, Rangers versus Dundee; General view of Ibrox Stadium, home of RangersIbrox Stadium of Rangers

Liverpool central defender Virgil van Dijk has suggested to The Liverpool Echo that playing against Ibrox club Glasgow Ranges when he was at Celtic was easy.

Van Dijk was on the books of Celtic from 2013 until 2015 before the Netherlands international central defender moved to Southampton in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old – who earns £180,000 per week as salary, according to Spotrac.com – played in the Old Firm derby, and the centre-back has said that during that time Rangers were not as good as they are right now as they were at a lower level, and that it was easy playing against the Gers.

Rangers were demoted from the Scottish top flight in 2012 and could return only in 2016.

Van Dijk told The Liverpool Echo: “Obviously I’ve played in the Old Firm derby which is really intense but when I played Rangers were lower level wise than they are right now so it was pretty easy back then.

“But this is the Premier League and it’s totally different. I’m not in the city too much but if they (Evertonians) want to come up to me and say things so be it. You can’t change it as they are passionate about their club and that’s their view.”

General views of Ibrox Stadium during the Rangers v St Johnstone - Scottish League Cup Quarter-Final at Ibrox Stadium on October 28, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Merseyside derby

Van Dijk made the aforementioned comments ahead of the Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool.

The Toffees and the Reds will face each other in the Premier League at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon.

Liverpool will head into the match as favourites, and although Everton will have home advantage, their poor record in the Merseyside derby means that the Toffees

(THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT)  Virgil van-Dijk of Liverpool during a training session at Melwood Training Ground on March 01, 2019 in Liverpool, England.