If Liverpool can beat Everton at Goodison Park this weekend, that would quickly dampen any suggestion — just days after beating Real Madrid and Manchester City — that Arne Slot should be in any way disappointed at the moment following the 3-3 draw with Newcastle United.
Still with a healthy lead at the summit of the Premier League table, Reds captain Virgil van Dijk sees the trip across Stanley Park as an ideal chance to bounce back from "two points lost" at St James' Park. It was suggested in some quarters that the game at Goodison Park last season signaled the end of Liverpool's title hopes, but the Dutchman isn't convinced.
"Who said that (it ended title hopes)?!" he told reporters at St James' Park. "Wow. They can chat whatever they want. That game was very disappointing in so many ways but Saturday is another opportunity.
"It's a game where they will definitely be up for it but so will we. I'm really looking forward to it, going there with our fans but we all know we have to improve — especially from the first half in terms of the fight in a good way.
"I knew already we are going to have ups and downs this year, this is not a real down even if it feels it at this point. We will be in recovering and fresh and ready to attack the next challenge."
In the here and now, the draw at Newcastle means Liverpool's lead at the top was cut to seven points, with Arsenal and Chelsea both winning. Manchester City is nine behind having ended its poor run with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest.
"You have to say that to all the people who are speaking about the gap we have created," Van Dijk said when asked if the Newcastle result proves there is a long way to go in the Premier League title race. "We always said we understand that it's only December, we have so many games coming up — I think eight more games.
Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk is seen during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool, England, on December 1, 2024 (Image: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
"We need everyone to be on top form and fit, and like the manager said, we have five defenders for eight more games so we need to manage ourselves as well to be at our best. That's a big challenge.
"At the moment it wasn't about personnel or injuries, it was about first half being poor in every aspect of the game as a collective. Second half we turned it around."
Slot has not had many matches this season where stern words were required at half-time and Van Dijk — who also said there was no update on his contract situation — insisted that didn't change here. Instead, key individuals in the dressing room had their say, with the second 45 minutes much improved.
"It was all about the players," he continued. "I had a few things to say — others did as well — but we all know how it works in football, you still have plenty of time to turn it around.
"At 1-0, you have to do so many things differently. You can talk about tactics, but it begins with winning battles, winning duels, winning 50/50 challenges and second balls, putting them under pressure, and in the second half, we showed that, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to win it.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot. (Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
"It was a poor first half as a collective, with and without the ball. Second half we showed what we are capable of, obviously starting with winning our battles, 50/50 challenges, definitely better on the ball, scoring our goals."
"Challenges," Van Dijk responded when questioned on what was missing from the performance first half. "We know when we play here they have an extra... I don't know what happens to them but the fans feed them, they win their challenges, the fans feed off that as well.
"We were not good enough — not good at all — and then they create momentum, we don't, we lose the ball too easily at times, sloppy in possession and they make momentum. We had 50 minutes to put it right, which we did, but unfortunately, we couldn't get it over the line."
Liverpool has Everton next in what is likely to be the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park. "We have to learn from the first half quite quickly," Van Dijk warned ahead of what promises to be another raucous atmosphere and tricky away test.