Van Dijk Emphasizes Focus and Effort for Liverpool Ahead of Crucial Match

Liverpool stands to gain an 11-point advantage over current Premier League champions Manchester City if they secure a victory against Pep Guardiola’s team this Sunday. However, captain Virgil van Dijk asserts that the squad must “stay humble and calm” to “keep getting points on the board.” In an interview with BBC Radio Merseyside, Van Dijk commented: “We are only going to be in December on Sunday, so there are still five months to go or something. We want to win the game but we know what they are capable of so, first and foremost, we have to be ready for their challenge.” He continued: “We should not be looking at anyone else other than ourselves. As long as we are consistent and getting points on the board, that’s all that matters.” Van Dijk further added: “I don’t look at others. I want to make sure that we, as a team and a club, are winning games, finding ways to win, working our socks off and staying calm.” Regarding the club’s strong start to the season, he remarked: “It [the club’s fine start to the season] is about hard work, staying humble and calm, and our quality. I think our belief and conviction has been there for many years, so it’s now all about the consistency and staying calm.” Addressing Manchester City’s recent performance, the Dutch defender stated: “They have won four [titles] in a row for a reason. We have to be ready for a very difficult one this weekend, and we will be.” He acknowledged: “They aren’t in the best form of their lives. I think injuries play a big part in that and we have been in a situation like that before, where we had loads of injuries, and it is never easy to then find consistency and confidence.” Van Dijk concluded: “But I know, like everyone else who understands football, that Manchester City can turn things around at any moment. Hopefully that’s not on Sunday, but we have to be at our best to get a result and that is what we are aiming for.”