Liverpool have now lost four games in a row after their defeat to Manchester United on Sunday, and skipper Virgil van Dijk is demanding a response at Eintracht Frankfurt
Virgil van Dijk insists Liverpool have no time to feel sorry for themselves as the out of form Reds embark on their worst run for 11 years.
Manchester United inflicted a fourth successive reverse on the Premier League champions on Sunday afternoon following losses at Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea before the international break.
Liverpool last lost four games in a row in November 2014 when Brendan Rodgers was manager, and a fifth would equal an unwanted club record that stretches back to the 1950s.
Van Dijk says the squad have to muster a response against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Wednesday this week.
“We will analyse everything that happened but I’ve mentioned it many times, the focus now is on the Champions League,” Van Dijk said.
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“We play again in a couple of days, so you have to do everything in your power to be physically recovered and especially when you lose four games on the bounce you have recover mentally as well. Everyone is doing it in their spare time in their own way but we have that responsibility.
“You can’t hide, you have to keep going. You have to get a win and Wednesday is another opportunity. I think everyone here today (at Anfield) maybe felt a bit like that (anxious). You can understand it, coming back after the international break after three losses on the bounce everyone wants to see a good performance, including ourselves.
“If you want it too much then it can work the other way. It is about finding the right balance and never get too high and never get too low. We all want to win games but you have to do the right things in order to do so, all of us. Be ready for a big one during the week.
“It’s been a while (since Liverpool have had a run like this), not in my time we’ve been losing four in a row. We’ve been through difficult times in different circumstances and it is always a challenge but it is one we have to deal with.
“We have to have responsibility and the most important thing is to stick together, stay confident and keep working on the things we need to improve because there are loads of things at the moment we need to improve and try to find consistency. We have to do it with our fans and people who want to see us win.”
Harry Maguire scored United’s winner at Anfield in the 84th minute as the Red Devils won at the home of their rivals for the first time since 2016.
Cody Gakpo had earlier levelled for the Reds after Bryan Mbuemo’s early goal for the visitors, with Arne Slot turning to Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Federico Chiesa from the bench, taking off Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak.
Van Dijk added: “If you look at the starting line-up there were only two different players from last year so I don’t think that is the problem either. The reality is we went 1-0 down pretty early on and had loads of time to put it right, we worked hard for it and they had some opportunities on the break, which was their plan, and then we got the equaliser and should have scored the 2-1 and we didn’t do it.
“That is the disappointing part, you lose four in a row and it is down to us to put that right and we all want to do that as soon as possible.
“[United’s winner] was a corner so you have defensive organisation so everyone on the pitch has a role and then when the ball gets cleared you have to make sure you stick to that role and unfortunately at that moment it didn’t happen.
“We are a team who do not try to keep the draw, especially at home. We want to try to go for the win. We had the momentum to go for the 2-1 after the equaliser and when you have that feeling you just go for it.
“I want to win the game. It is easy to say as we’ve just lost. Hopefully we will be on the other side of it, like we have been doing in the past. We’ve never been playing for a draw – maybe we have but I can’t remember it. Onto the next one.
“I think you work so hard to get back into the game, create good opportunities to score hopefully the winner, didn’t do that and to concede late on sums up the last three games for us. It’s tough to take but we have to take it, it’s reality, we have to deal with it as players – all of us who are trying to win games, including our fans and move on to the next one.”
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