Pool’s mean streak down to all of us, says Van Dijk

van Dijk insists he and centre-back partner Joe Gomez cannot take all the credit for Liverpool’s recent defensive improvement.

Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Manchester United, which extended the Reds’ lead at the top of the Premier League to 16 points with a match in hand, was the seventh successive clean sheet in all competitions.

Van Dijk and Gomez featured in six of those matches, the pair missing the FA Cup win over Everton, and since Gomez came into the team as a regular starter on December 14 their record is eight clean sheets in nine games.

However, the Holland captain said praise had to be shared around.

“Everyone is involved in that. We have a fantastic goalkeeper, the full-backs doing their job, our midfielders and stars obviously up front, so it is a whole collective thing,” said Van Dijk.

“But obviously as a defender we are very pleased to keep clean sheets because we all know that with us if we keep a clean sheet there is a big chance to win the game so it is a good feeling.”

Liverpool have lost just one of their last 61 league matches and need just 10 more victories to lift a first title in 30 years.

But for Van Dijk and his teammates it is just business as usual.

“We can’t deny that we are in a good situation but we don’t get carried away,” he added.

“These things don’t mean anything at the moment, only at the end of the season. Hopefully it does mean something at the end of the season.

“We all know why we are doing it. We all know why we work so hard for each other. I think the very good thing about this is that we are always trying to find a way.

“It will never be easy, we all know that, but I think the good thing is we know it is never going to be easy so you can adapt to deal with certain situations.

“Also the mentality we have we know there are going to be setbacks in games, we know there will be difficult moments in games, but if you are ready to face them it makes it a little bit easier.”

Van Dijk’s boss Jurgen Klopp is singing from the same hymn sheet and insists he and his team will not get drawn into the party which Liverpool fans are currently enjoying on their seemVIRGIL ingly inevitable march towards a first title in 30 years.

“They can sing whatever they want. If our fans weren’t in a good mood now it would be really strange,” said Klopp on the

celebrations. “They are allowed to dream, to sing whatever they want as long as they do their job as well in the moment when we play.

“We will not be part of that party yet, but it’s no problem. We know our job.

“We are here to work, as simple as that. It’s a very positive atmosphere, but I have to keep myself in and stay concentrated in interviews as we play on Thursday against Wolves. That’s the truth. I’m only interested in that game and nothing else.”

The next challenge to Liverpool’s invincibility comes at Wolves on Thursday.

Dutchman Van Dijk added: “They give everyone a big test. Massive respect for them, how they play and how they are doing it at the moment.

“Good team, fantastic manager. It is always going to be tough. They showed it against everyone already in the league. We have to be ready again.”