Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk expressed deep disappointment with his teammates after their 2-0 defeat to Everton, which seriously jeopardizes their Premier League title chances. In a post-match interview with Sky Sports, van Dijk did not hold back in his criticism.
“Listen, very disappointed in so many ways, and I think everyone has to look at themselves in the mirror and look at their own performances and if they really gave everything and do they really want to win the league?” van Dijk stated.
The Netherlands international acknowledged that the team must drastically improve if they wish to compete for the title.
“We are still fighting and still have games after tonight, but if we play like we did overall in the game like today, not winning challenges and giving the ref an opportunity to give free-kicks like he did many times, we have no chance to win the title.” he emphasized.
When asked to elaborate on the team’s poor performance, van Dijk expressed frustration.
“I wish I had a proper answer for that. We are in this position because we have been consistent all season, even with all of the injuries that we have had. The players that have come in and the young players that have come in have put us in a good position.” van Dijk said.
“I think anyone at the start of the season would not have thought we were competing for the title, but listen, I don’t care what anyone said at the start of the season. We are here now and we all have to do much better. It sounds pretty simple but it starts with the fight and the will to win your challenges and be confident in scoring a goal. That is what we have been lacking and it’s a combination of a lot of things.”
Van Dijk emphasized the need for improvement, highlighting that the team’s current level of play is insufficient to challenge for the title.
“Today in so many ways, I don’t want to speak about the referee because that is not an excuse. We have to be much better. If we play like today then we have no chance to consider ourselves in the title race. We have to just focus on the next game, and that will be a tough one as well, and then we will see,” he concluded.
Liverpool’s title hopes have suffered a significant blow with this defeat, and van Dijk’s comments reflect the urgent need for the team to address their shortcomings if they wish to remain competitive in the Premier League.
