Virgil van Dijk challenges Liverpool's £100m+ men to continue delivering at Anfield after Sunday's 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool reacts during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on October 25, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images)
Virgil van Dijk reacts during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield(Image: MB Media/Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Virgil van Dijk has challenged Liverpool's £100m men to spearhead a new era of success under Andoni Iraola after Sunday's 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion moved them up to fourth.
And Reds skipper Van Dijk insists the club has the quality to thrive in a post-Mohamed Salah world after Bradley Barcola, Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz all contributed significantly at the weekend.
The Reds won their fourth successive game under Iraola by inflicting a second defeat on Fabian Hurzeler's side, who remain third as a result of the loss at Anfield.
Wirtz's effort was officially credited as an own goal by Pascal Gross before Barcola did well to close down Oliver Boscagli and supply Isak for his sixth of the campaign before half-time.
READ MORE: National media make £248m Liverpool point after Brighton victory ahead of 'pivotal week'
READ MORE: Liverpool deliver first Andoni Iraola statement as trio's transformations continue
Between Isak, Barcola and Wirtz - a trio of players who have cost the club £364m - they have registered six goals and three assists in the last four games, excluding the strike that deflected in off Gross on Sunday afternoon.
Asked if all three are embracing the responsibility of being the match-winners following Salah's exit after nine glittering years back in May, Van Dijk said they are showing that the club can still thrive without the legendary Egyptian, who is now at Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor.
Set Liverpool Echo as a 'Preferred Source' to get quicker access to the news you value.
Google Preferred Source Badge
Google Preferred Source Badge
Make sure you never miss the latest Liverpool FC news and opinion by makingLiverpool Echo one of your Google preferred sources.
"I think it is the reality," Van Dijk said. "What Mo has done for so many years as a winger, let's hope so, but I don't think anyone can replicate that. Hopefully it is going to happen, but what he did was incredible. The same goes with Sadio (Mane) and Bobby (Roberto Firmino).
"Hopefully that is going to happen again and that is what we work for, but now it is time for others, and others have to step up.
"We can always think it was better back in the day, but that is not the mentality that it should be at a club like Liverpool, and I don't feel it has ever been. The club will always move on at a certain point, and there are always players who will shine and perform for the club. It is down to these players who are here now to show it every three or four days.
"Moments like this (the second goal) will give confidence to them and to the team as well. But we all see the quality that they both (Barcola and Isak) possess.
"You want it to come out as much as possible and as soon as possible and I think today, the second goal was class, but there are plenty of moments already this season that they have been very, very good.
"At a club like Liverpool, you have to do it every three or four days. That is always the challenge, but it is a nice challenge. I'm pretty confident that it is going to be fine. I don't have all the [recent] games in my head, but thinking about this game, everyone put a big shift in.
"It was a great goal [by Isak]. Great assist by Bradley for the second goal, and Flo was obviously very important in the first, and Ronald Araujo of course as well. So everyone contributed, and an important win."
Should Liverpool sign Ronald Araujo on a £47m permanent transfer?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Ronald Araujo of Liverpool celebrates after the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on October 25, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Ronald Araujo celebrates after Liverpool's win over Brighton (Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Yes - it's a no-brainerNo - we've got Jacquet and LeoniNot sure yet - it's still early
The victory means the Reds have won eight of their last 10 across all competitions and have tasted defeat just once this term, when they played shipped three goals in the final half hour with 10 men against Manchester City earlier this month.
And Van Dijk added: "If I'm honest, we would have loved a bit more control of the ball. But against Brighton, that is sometimes asking for problems because they are so good at pressing.
"So we had to be a little bit more direct than we would have loved, because they go one-vs-one.
"If Flo (Wirtz) dropped, then Lewis Dunk followed him almost all the way, and that means our front three is going to be one-vs-one, and we have the pace and the quality to hurt them then, and I think that is what happened in the first half an hour.
"I think it is a great win. We didn't give much away and we kept a clean sheet, and scored some good goals."
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 25: Alexander Isak of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with Virgil van Dijk during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield on October 25, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Alexander Isak is congratulated by captain Virgil van Dijk after doubling Liverpool's lead against Brighton (Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
View 2 Images
With 11 men on the pitch, Liverpool have conceded just one goal since August in the Premier League and much of that defensive solidity is down to Van Dijk's growing partnership with Jeremy Jacquet, the £60m summer signing from Rennes.
"He is doing very well," Van Dijk said of his 21-year-old centre-back partner. "He just has to keep going and let's see where the ceiling will be. I don't think it is there yet, so keep going.
"The relationship is good, and it is getting better each and every day that we are working with each other. That is what I said from day one: it takes games, especially, but also training sessions.
"Also off the pitch, the conversations that we are having. And the good moments, but also the less good moments that happen in a game, and seeing how we react to that and how we can help each other.
"I am enjoying it and I think he is enjoying it as well. Onto much more."