VIRGING ON REVIVAL OF FORTUNES
VIRGIL VAN DIJK insists he is not paying any attention to the race for a top-four place.
Instead, the Liverpool star is merely focused on a winning end to the season for his team as a way of returning them to the summit of the game next season.
With Manchester United’s defeat at West Ham offering a glimmer of hope to the Anfield club in the race for the Champions League, many are wondering if Erik ten Hag’s side will crack – but Van Dijk is adamant he is not one of them.
When asked if Liverpool were back in the top-four conversation, he said: “That’s something for you guys to talk about.”
And when it was mentioned boss Jurgen Klopp did not think United would drop enough points, he said: “Well, I don’t either, then!”
Newcastle need two wins and a draw to guarantee they finish ahead of Liverpool, while United need three wins from their remaining four matches.
Van Dijk refuses to get drawn into the guessing game and instead says the most important thing for Liverpool now is to return the feel-good factor.
Since drawing with Arsenal in an Anfield thriller, they have won six straight Premier League games.
And the Reds defender wants another three wins in their final matches to banish the memories of a wildly inconsistent campaign.
The Dutchman said: “We know when things have to improve and this season that was pretty obvious as a team. That’s how we work.
“When things aren’t going the right way, we are at the bottom in terms of criticism. When things are going better, we could be being praised to the skies.
“It’s about putting a lot of things into perspective. If we are not performing well at the back, then obviously the front has no chance to score goals, and the other way around is also the case.
“You have to try to block the noise out. That’s what I did, that’s what the other players are doing and that’s the only solution to get back to where we feel like where we belong.
“Get back to enjoying it as well and doing it all together.”
Now the aim is simple and it does not include obsessing over United’s results.
“There’s still room for improvement – winning six games in a row is something that has been unheard of this season,” said the defender. “But let’s just keep going and enjoy the moment and take it into next season hopefully.”