Virgil van Dijk delivered an emotional message to “the people who celebrated with us last year” after Liverpool’s faltering title defence suffered another major setback on Saturday night.
It was yet another disastrous evening for Arne Slot’s men, who slumped to a 3–2 defeat against Brentford. Goals from Dango Ouattara, Kevin Schade, and Igor Thiago condemned the Reds to their fourth straight Premier League loss, dropping them to seventh in the table — four points adrift of leaders Arsenal and sitting below Bournemouth, Manchester United, and surprise package Sunderland.
After the game, an exasperated Arne Slot didn’t mince his words. Asked whether it was Liverpool’s worst showing under his management, he admitted:
“Yeah, I think it’s up there. Normally, when we’re 1–0 or 2–0 down, we react well — but tonight was different. We didn’t get the basics right. Brentford deserved the win; they were stronger in duels, quicker to second balls, and fed off the energy of their crowd.”
Captain Virgil van Dijk echoed his manager’s frustration when speaking to TNT Sports, admitting the team’s slump is difficult to explain.
“It’s hard to pinpoint what’s wrong. We haven’t managed a clean sheet in nine games. People can point fingers at individuals or the defence, but it’s a collective problem. Everyone — myself included — has to take responsibility.”
The Dutch defender also revealed that the squad is working tirelessly to get back on track:
“We’re training hard and doing everything possible to improve, but it’s a tough moment. We need each other, and we need the fans — especially those who celebrated with us last season — to stay with us now more than ever. I’m confident we’ll bounce back because we have the quality, both defensively and offensively.”
Van Dijk concluded by outlining the team’s immediate focus:
“Right now, our goal is simple — keep a clean sheet, and get back to winning ways. That’s the reality.”
💭 What’s your take — what’s really going wrong for Liverpool, and do you believe they can recover before it’s too late?
