Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk demanded improvements from his teammates after the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, while new signing Jeremy Jacquet could require surgery on a shoulder injury
Dan Burnham Senior Sports Reporter/Content Editor
12:03, 10 Feb 2026
Virgil van Dijk has issued a message to his Liverpool players
Virgil van Dijk has issued a message to his Liverpool players(Image: Getty Images)
Arne Slot's Liverpool players will undoubtedly be wondering how they let a 1-0 lead against Manchester City slip away in the frenzied final 20 minutes at Anfield on Sunday.
Dominik Szoboszlai's spectacular free-kick was nullified by a Bernardo Silva goal and an Erling Haaland penalty, before the Hungarian was sent off following a VAR review that also disallowed a third goal from Rayan Cherki.
The silver lining for the Reds is the opportunity to swiftly bounce back from the devastating loss, although Wednesday's journey to the Stadium of Light - where Sunderland have yet to taste defeat in the Premier League this season - promises to be another tough challenge. Szoboszlai will be absent for Arne Slot, who's already grappling with an injury crisis.
READ MORE: Paul Scholes thinks Arne Slot only has one way to save his job at Liverpool - 'Can't see it'READ MORE: Arne Slot uses Federico Chiesa example to sum up Liverpool's worst case scenario
Despite his selection headaches, Slot recognizes the need to steer his team's quest for Champions League soccer back on course with just 13 matches remaining. Failure to do so could put the Dutchman's position under intense scrutiny.
Captain Virgil van Dijk is acutely aware of the task ahead, while there's further worrying news regarding new recruit Jeremy Jacquet. Here, Liverpool.com delves into the latest headlines surrounding the Reds.
Van Dijk issues demand
Van Dijk has called for his teammates to step up their game after conceding their sixth stoppage-time goal of the season, costing them a total of eight points.
"I think you can't compare all of the goals," Van Dijk said. "I think maybe you can compare the Crystal Palace goal and the Bournemouth goal, but this one you can't compare with the others. But the fact is that we conceded that late on, and I keep saying it, but we have to do better in this.
Jeremy Jacquet suffered a fresh injury over the weekend for Rennes
Jeremy Jacquet suffered a fresh injury over the weekend for Rennes(Image: Getty Images)
"You also have to remember that you're playing against City, who are obviously very comfortable on the ball, and at times, when you don't win the ball, because we did many times as well, I think making the right decisions could have been better.
"But yeah, it's easy now to maybe say that we dropped off too much and that's why they scored the equaliser. Overall, the feeling that I have right now is that in the first half, we weren't good enough, in the second half, we were much better, but still disappointed we lost.
"At the moment (there are no positives) because I'm disappointed that we lost. But I will do everything in my power to recover, and then we'll discuss it, and then we have to turn our attention very, very quickly to an opponent that is having a very good season, especially at home, so it will be a big battle."
Jacquet could require surgery
Jacquet's move in the summer was finalized during a relatively quiet January transfer window for Liverpool. The 20-year-old will stay at Rennes for the remainder of the season to further his development in France.
Article continues below
However, this plan may now be obsolete, with L'Equipe reporting that he might need surgery on a shoulder injury sustained in a 3-1 loss to Lens on Saturday. He was compelled to leave the pitch in the second half following an awkward fall.
His then-manager Habib Beye, who parted company with the Ligue 1 club on Monday, commented post-match: "For Jeremy, it's his shoulder. We'll have time to see, but it's definitely quite serious."
It's suggested that surgery could sideline him for several weeks at least, possibly for the rest of the season, and it could even affect his pre-season preparations in Merseyside. While it's still early days, Slot will be hoping the situation isn't as dire as initially thought, especially after losing Giovanni Leoni to a long-term injury and with Ibrahima Konate's expected departure as a free agent at the end of the season.