Virgil van Dijk: It is our duty to persevere through to the very end.
Virgil van Dijk gave an explanation of why Liverpool must relax in the final three games of the 2023–24 season.
The Reds are hoping to get back to winning ways after ending April with a draw at West Ham United and a loss to Everton at Anfield in the Premier League. This afternoon, they take on Tottenham Hotspur.
Van Dijk also stressed the necessity for the team to get back on track and close the season strong in his column in the matchday programme.
“The finishing line is coming into view as we approach the final three games of the season, but this doesn’t mean there is any scope for easing up,” the captain writes. In actuality, the reverse is true: we owe it to ourselves and our supporters to persevere through to the very finish.
“We can see where we wind up if we do this. Everyone can see the league table and determine where we are likely to finish, so I don’t need to explain what is and isn’t conceivable. However, regardless of the expected conclusion, our goal must be to close off the season as strongly as possible.
“There are obvious causes for this. First and foremost, our goal is to win as many games as we can. Second, even while we are confident that none of the teams above us will make a mistake, we still need to be prepared in case they do. Thirdly, past performance indicates that concluding a season well can undoubtedly generate enthusiasm for the subsequent one.
“Let’s take use of the incentives as they are visible to all of us. When we can come to our own conclusions about the season we’ve had, it will be the appropriate moment to take stock, but that time is not now. Right now, we should just concentrate on getting as many points as we can out of the final nine that are still up for grabs.
“We are aware that some progress will be necessary for this to occur. We have suffered as a result of our uneven play in recent weeks. Thus, correcting this is undoubtedly a crucial goal.
“I don’t think we’ve played particularly poorly; in fact, in a few games, we’ve played really well but haven’t capitalised on our advantages. However, we haven’t achieved the desired results, so something has to change.
The good news is that we’ve demonstrated time and time again this season that we are more than capable of reaching the kind of consistency we’re aiming for. We just need to go back to the previous standards we established for ourselves because we already know what it takes and what is needed.
“We don’t have to dream it all over again or listen to outside sounds. It only involves rediscovering an ability that we have demonstrated in the past.”