Virgil van Dijk’s Rallying Cry: Liverpool Know “What We Need to Do”
Liverpool have been the best side in Europe for much of the 2024-25 season but have stumbled of late. To win the Premier League, they need to get back to their best.
After an unimpeachable run through the autumn and into the winter under new manager Arne Slot, Liverpool’s form has gone a touch inconsistent in 2025, with the Reds showing signs of strain starting with a first leg League Cup semi-final defeat at Tottenham.
They overcame that setback convincingly in leg two, but that positive result can’t hide the fact since January they often haven’t been at their best—culminating in a loss to Plymouth in the FA Cup, tough 2-2 draw at Everton in the league, and exceptionally nervy 2-1 win at Wolves over the past week.
The good news is that, setting aside the FA Cup shock, even at their worst this season they’ve earned four of six points in the league and are still seven clear of chasers Arsenal. But with Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Newcastle up next it doesn’t get any easier.
“I said it weeks ago, we just have to buckle up and enjoy the ride,” said captain Virgil van Dijk of the challenges of late as the Reds look ahead to the final 13 league games and a return to action in the Champions League. “There will be twists and turns. If you’re not ready for it it will be a difficult few months, but I believe we are.”
“I’ve been through this before and come up short twice. The only thing we can do is focus on ourselves and take it one game at a time. If we keep winning, we will succeed. We have to put all our energy into ourselves. Wolves made it difficult for us, and Aston Villa will too.”
It’s been a difficult few weeks for Liverpool. A difficult month, even. But then, no side that’s won anything, even in the sportswashing era dominated by Manchester City, has gone the entirety of the season without a stumble. And if this is Liverpool’s stumble, it very much appears to be survivable.
This is one of the best sides in Europe by any measure. Through most of the current season they’ve been the best side in Europe. If they can get back to that over the next week with the difficult fixtures on offer, in the end it won’t matter what anyone chasing them does.
“If we start focusing on others, it will backfire,” Van Dijk added of their current situation and what the team—and the fans at Anfield and the travelling supporters—need to do in the games and weeks ahead. “The season we won the title, we kept going. That’s what we need to do now.”
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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