Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has sent a message ahead of their clash at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. He urged the players to come forward and live up to the club’s expectations, stating that they must work hard on the pitch.
Writing in the pre-match programme, Van Dijk said Anfield is a special place for the club and they need to ensure they return to their best at home. He wants Liverpool players to take inspiration from their wins against Real Madrid and Aston Villa and said (via Anfield Index):
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“Anfield has always been a special place for us, and I think we showed in the Villa and Madrid games what can be achieved when everyone, players and fans, work together. The atmosphere in those two games was incredible and I would like to feel something similar on Saturday afternoon. I want this place to vibrate every time we play here.”
“As I said, we know what awaits us in the next few months, but for now we just have to focus on the next game. We fight for the win, we fight for the three points and we go from there. The hard work starts here. Go for it.”
Speaking of the opponents, he added:
“We know that we are going to face, at Nottingham Forest, a team who arrive with a lot of motivation and who will try to make our lives as difficult as possible,” notes Van Dijk. “They won at Anfield last season, albeit under a different manager, and we know we will have to be there from minute one, given the strength and quality they possess.”
Liverpool sit eighth in the Premier League, eight points behind leaders Arsenal.
Virgil van Dijk warns Liverpool players about upcoming matches
Virgil van Dijk has urged Liverpool players to stay focused as they play twice a week for the next three months. He believes this race will be decisive for the season and said in the program:
“You only have to look at the calendar to understand the importance of the weeks and months ahead. From now until March, we will be playing almost every three or four days, which means we have to be extremely focused, extremely committed and ready to rest, recover and get going again very quickly.”
Liverpool have lost five of their opening 11 league matches this season, one more than in the 2024/25 season when they won the title.
Edited by Sripad
