REDS MUST BE RUTHLESS
Van Dijk: Title will be decided in the games against smaller teams, not matches with City
VIRGIL VAN DIJK says Liverpool have to be almost faultless if they are going to be crowned champions.
The Reds defender has told team-mates that the title will not be decided by games against Manchester City... it will be decided by results against smaller fry.
Van Dijk, who gave away a late penalty against City at Anfield on Sunday, was hugely relieved when Riyad Mahrez blazed it over the crossbar to keep the Reds level on points with the champions.
But, asked if the 0-0 draw shows they are closer to stealing City’s title, the Dutchman said: “It is not about these games, it is all about the other games, the difficult games which we have against mid-table and lower teams. We want to get as close as possible and do as well as we can but we know it is going to be hard. We’ve had a great start to the season and we want to keep it going.
“We aim to improve every game and we want to win every game. After the international break there are three important games against Huddersfield, Red Star and Cardiff so we want to be ready for that.”
Liverpool, though, have survived their first big test, coming through a gruelling run of seven games in 22 days against some of the toughest teams in Europe.
In fact, six of those matches were against opponents ranked in the top 15 in the world and there is a growing confidence around Anfield following Premier League draws with City and Chelsea, who have had much easier runs over the same period.
Liverpool are nine points better off than they were at the same stage last season, and Van Dijk said: “It was not an easy month playing against Champions League teams. But it is tough week in and week out. We all have to keep going and now it is international matches ahead.
“I’m the captain (of Holland) and we have a very important game against Germany so we have to try to be ready for that and then try to get a bit of rest after that one.”
Van Dijk has been one of the biggest influences in Liverpool’s improvement, the Reds not conceding a league goal at Anfield since February and recording more clean sheets than any other English club in that period.
Yet he was typically tough on himself after gifting City a penalty by diving in on substitute Leroy Sane in the closing minutes at Anfield
“It was not smart and hopefully it will never happen again,” he said.
“After 85 minutes you get a bit fatigued and I decided to dive in, which is not something I would normally do.
“Hopefully it will be the last time I make that decision at that time. So to keep a clean sheet after a penalty in the last five minutes makes me a very happy man.”
It is all about the difficult games against mid-table and lower teams