COMPARING IS Van Dijk fully focused on Reds
LIVERPOOL must stay resilient if they want to maintain a
Garcia. top-four charge, says Luis
season for the
It’s been a challenging
to keep clean
Reds, who have struggled
Garcia has urged sheets. But former winger
as they look to his old club to keep scrapping
for next term. secure European football
that shows the opponent “You need a solid team of
anything, not even a bit they are not going to have
he said. presence in their own half,”
of the points from now “They know they need all
if they want to grab that until the end of the season fourth position.
bit more vulnerable at “It makes them a little
set pieces and even the back, from throw-ins, counter attacks.
working on
“I’m sure Jurgen will be
fourth, that if they’re going to get which isn’t going to be
easy.”
VIRGILVAN DIJK insists he’s focusing solely on the job at hand for Liverpool rather than worrying it’s Arsenal, not themselves, who are involved in this season’s title battle with Manchester City. For the last four years no one has come as close to laying a glove on Pep Guardiola’s men as the gang from the red corner.
Twice in that time they have finished just a point and a place behind City.
And in 2019-20, of course, they beat the Blues to the crown by a whopping 18 points.
This season, however, has been one of acute frustration for Liverpool, with them well off the pace all term.
But while Van Dijk knows a big reset is needed for everyone at the club in the summer, on the back of a challenging campaign that included the first mid-winter World Cup, he claims the battle for the European places is a challenge enough.
Asked whether there was a frustration that the big midweek title clash didn’t involve his side,van Dijk said: “No, why? We had a big battle ourselves so I’m not thinking about what they are doing.
“Winning the game ahead of us, that’s the target.and especially with the season we have had and are having, we can’t think about the next games to come, just the game that’s ahead of us.
“Now the game against Tottenham will be a big challenge. Being in the Champions League is important but at this point it’s something that is out of our hands.”
Liverpool aren’t alone in not being their usual selves this season.
It wasn’t until February that champions elect City finally clicked into gear.today’s visitors Spurs have struggled too.
Manchester United have also been up and down and Van Dijk, one of seven Liverpool players to go to the World Cup, is adamant the break for Qatar has affected a lot of players and clubs.
He added: “It definitely has impacted on it and it’s not a normal season.
“But everyone had to deal with it and some clubs have dealt with it much better than others.”
Van Dijk knows the summer will be crucially important to ensuring Liverpool start next season much better than they started this one.
He said: “Having a holiday is very important after the season and maybe as important as pre-season in general.
“You completely switch off and to have your mind on something else and let your body recover and then go into pre-season will be a benefit as well.
“So we have to find the right balance in this case.”