ReactionVirgil van Dijk: We know we can do better - we have to improve quickly
Virgil van Dijk analysed a Liverpool performance at Crystal Palace ‘we are disappointed in’ as he called for a quick response on Tuesday.
A first Premier League defeat of the season was inflicted on the Reds on Saturday as Eddie Nketiah’s stoppage-time strike gave the Eagles a 2-1 victory.
Ismaila Sarr had put the home team ahead nine minutes into an opening half in which the visitors were indebted to several saves from Alisson Becker and both sides hit the woodwork.
Liverpool were improved after the interval and equalised on 87 minutes through Federico Chiesa, but deep into added time Nketiah pounced to leave Arne Slot’s men without any points from the trip.
Van Dijk said post-match at Selhurst Park: “The biggest challenge now is to stay calm. I have mentioned it many times: never get too high or too low. Just work and don’t listen to the outside world too much.
“You know when you can do better and everyone knew that. We are disappointed in our performance. Disappointed in the loss, but especially the way we went about it. I think if we got a draw, then we took already one point too many.
“I don’t think there is any reason to worry, but we have to improve pretty quickly because obviously we play in Turkiye on Tuesday [against Galatasaray in the Champions League]. We have a very difficult game there as well, so we have to be ready.”
The defeat in London snapped a seven-match winning run for Liverpool across the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup.
Van Dijk echoed the head coach’s sentiment that the Reds must accept - and respond to - the fact that Palace were fully worthy of taking the victory.
“It was the basics that we didn’t do well,” said the No.4. “Sometimes you can have these days. Hopefully this is the only day this season that we do that.
“There is a reason Palace were 17, now 18, games unbeaten. They are very difficult to break down, very disciplined, they defend deep and they don’t mind that, and they have the quality on the break to hurt you.
“But it started all with ourselves. We were sloppy in possession, didn’t win our second-ball fight, and we created momentum for them. They could have been three or four up by half-time.
“We are lucky that we have, in my opinion, the best goalkeeper in the world to save us.”
He continued: “The issue is our performance. Especially first half, it was far below par. That is something we have to improve.
“It doesn’t really matter if we score late because sometimes teams are difficult to break down and you have to find a way to win games.
“Towards the end, teams are getting tired and the spaces will get bigger. So that’s not the issue. It is more looking at our performance, it was definitely not good. Not good at all. Palace deserved the win they eventually got as well.”