Virgil van Dijk has made it clear that the common understanding within the Liverpool squad is that last week’s 4-1 loss to Napoli was ‘unacceptable’, admitting it had given the team a strong ‘reality check’. in the following days.
Fortunately, the Merseysiders followed up their defeat in Naples with a much-improved performance at Anfield to secure the bulk of the points against Ajax through a late winner from Joel Matip.
“What we did last week [losing against Napoli] It was unacceptable, for all of us, and the days after that game we definitely had a reality check,” the Dutchman said according to BBC Sport.
“The obvious criticism is there, but ex-pros and players who have played at this level know that there are times when you can have a problem, a period like this unfortunately, and it’s how you react to it.
“They have been in our situation and everyone has been acting like you can’t have a bad period, a tough game or a tough situation.
“It’s too easy to say these kinds of things, but they’re doing their job and that’s what they’re doing.”
The Reds now face Brighton and Hove Albion in the domestic top flight after two league meetings with Wolves and Chelsea respectively on either side of the last Champions League group stage tie postponed in honor of the deceased Queen Elizabeth II.
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If any team is allowed a brief period of trepidation when it comes to the quality of their performances, it is undoubtedly Liverpool after the constant pressures they face year after year competing with Manchester City domestically.
Still, that will be little consolation to a fanbase now accustomed to such impeccably high standards of football that the rest of the Premier League beyond us and Manchester City almost seem like an entire division below us.
However, judging by the 2-1 win against Ajax, it seems possible that we could take quite a long turn after the international break, depending on injuries.
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