Club captain says “a lot of work has to be done” after underwhelming title defence
Virgil van Dijk has said Liverpool must make significant changes this summer after what he described as an “unacceptable” season.
Liverpool suffered their 18th defeat of the campaign on Sunday, losing at Old Trafford, Manchester United completing a Premier League double over their rivals for the first time in a decade.
Arne Slot’s side are still in control of their fate in terms of Champions League qualification though, holding a six-point advantage with three matches remaining, starting with a home game against Chelsea.
Van Dijk said the team still has enough quality to secure a top-five finish but stressed that their issues this season need to be addressed.
“We have the quality to hurt any opponent but sometimes it also goes with a combination of the mindset,” Van Dijk said. “We have three games left and the realisation has to come from ourselves, as a group and as players, to make sure that we are in the Champions League because of the impact of it for the financial side for the club. But also because we want to be playing in it against the best teams in Europe.
“You have to take responsibility. It’s just life. I think it’s unacceptable that we have lost too many times as defending champions of the Premier League and we shouldn’t accept it whatsoever.
“There will be a lot of work that has to be done going into next season. When I am back from the World Cup, I will go into it. But there is a lot of work to do be done behind the scenes.”
Van Dijk also rejected suggestions that the squad have not been working hard enough, following criticism over players taking time off last week.
“A few days off? You mean one day off?” Van Dijk said. “I’m not sure it’s a holiday. It’s a city trip. But I think if you have one day off, and you don’t have many days off, they can decide what they want to do with their families. We are not kids. Everyone is an adult.
“This week we have an early kick-off on Saturday. So preparation is on that. Yesterday we were in a hotel. Today we played. So two days away from the family again. It’s not that we have a holiday whatsoever.
“I wish we had a couple more days off at times because I think it works both ways. You see Pep Guardiola giving City three days off the last weeks in a row and they are doing pretty well.
“It is finding the right balance. I can understand if people think we are not training and, when results are not there, it could be a reason for why we are not getting results.”
