Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk believes the workforce have discovered necessary classes from their title race drop-off final season and is aware of that even with a five-point lead on the prime of the Premier League they can’t afford to jot down off Manchester Metropolis.
Up till March the Reds have been within the hunt to win 4 trophies however, following an FA Cup defeat at Manchester United, their marketing campaign unravelled and a month later their hopes of including one other trophy to the Carabao Cup have been throughout.
The Reds capitalised on Metropolis’s defeat at Brighton with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa to offer Arne Slot’s facet a wholesome benefit heading into the worldwide break however Van Dijk mentioned nothing needs to be learn into the celebrations by followers on the ultimate whistle.
“Their (Metropolis’s) end result was introduced within the stadium but it surely’s nonetheless so early within the season,” mentioned the Netherlands captain.
“We’ve seen them through the years put collectively loopy runs of successful video games and being so constant.
“Now they’ve some accidents and are in a little bit of a tough interval however issues can flip rapidly.
“We shouldn’t deal with any of that and I don’t assume we do. That’s one thing we will’t management. Let’s see what the approaching weeks deliver.
“We must always have discovered from final 12 months. In the event you don’t be taught then it doesn’t deliver you any additional.”
With a troublesome run of fixtures nonetheless to come back, together with Actual Madrid within the Champions League and clashes with Metropolis, Newcastle and Everton domestically, Van Dijk is aware of their place as league leaders is not going to change into any extra comfy.
“We’re solely in November however I see us coping with tough moments fairly properly,” he added.
“We had a few video games the place we bounced again after going behind. The mentality of the boys to show it round was wonderful.
“Possibly in direction of the top of a season the strain is greater. Then everybody must be there and step up.
“I can’t predict how the final a part of the season will go. However to date, so good.
“For me it’s fairly simple to say however I simply need to take pleasure in it. Go on the market, all of us are privileged and blessed to be enjoying for Liverpool and have gamers round you with a lot high quality.”
Van Dijk on Salah: Particular participant
Darwin Nunez’s opener got here from a Mohamed Salah help earlier than the Egypt worldwide scored a late second to change into the primary participant in Europe’s prime 5 leagues to register 10 objectives and 10 assists this season.
He, like Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are out of contract in the summertime however the 32-year-old’s numbers make the considered shedding him much more unpalatable.
“Particular participant. He’s been like that for thus a few years, not simply this 12 months,” mentioned Van Dijk.
“I see the arduous work he places in every day. It’s how constant he’s, particularly along with his numbers however along with his performances as properly.
“He’s a particular athlete, a particular participant and a legend of the membership. I’m more than happy that we nonetheless share a pitch collectively.”
Salah turns 33 in June however his captain believes he’ll proceed to carry out on the highest degree.
“Bodily, I can positively see that taking place. Mentally, that’s in his fingers,” he mentioned.
“With sure gamers, you see how they preserve enjoying on the highest degree. He’s positively one in every of them.”
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