'We have to look in the mirror': Van Dijk questions Liverpool's hunger after shock defeat to Everton (WATCH)
By Ovaise Shariff | First Published Apr 25, 2024, 4:32 PM ISTLiverpool's Virgil van Dijk voices concerns over the team's Premier League title chances following their defeat to Everton.
Following Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to Everton at Goodison Park, captain Virgil van Dijk openly questioned his team's hunger to clinch the Premier League title under Jurgen Klopp. With just three points behind leaders Arsenal and four games remaining, van Dijk stressed the importance of self-reflection and commitment among the squad. The loss, coupled with Manchester City's advantage, has cast doubt on Liverpool's title aspirations. Van Dijk emphasized the need for a significant improvement in performance, starting with their upcoming match against West Ham. He highlighted the lack of fight and missed opportunities as key factors hindering their championship pursuit, urging his teammates to step up and regain their form. Despite Liverpool's earlier dominance in the season, recent setbacks have left van Dijk searching for answers and demanding a renewed determination from the squad.
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"Very disappointed in so many ways,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports. “I think everyone has to look in the mirror, look at their own performance and if they really gave everything. Do they really want to win the league?
"We are fighting, there are games after tonight, but play like we did overall in the game like today... not winning challenges and giving the ref an opportunity to give a free-kick like he did many times, then you have no chance to win a title.
"It’s a tough one and we need to do much better against a side that’s [fighting] relegation. We had clear-cut chances in the first half that we should have scored but we weren’t good enough and it starts with the fight. We can’t let the season go out like this."
“I wish I had a proper answer,” Van Dijk said when asked what had stopped working. “We are in this situation because we have been very consistent throughout the whole season, even with all injuries that we had.
“I think everyone at the start of the season would never have been thinking that we would be competing for the title but I don’t care what everyone says at the start.
“We are here now and we have to do much better, and it starts with the fight, it starts with the will to win you challenges and be confident in scoring goals and that’s what we have been lacking a little bit.”
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