Today's Liverpool news sees club captain Virgil van Dijk challenge his team-mates as two stars are given a dressing down
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk speaks to the media
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk speaks to the media(Image: 2026 UEFA)
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Liverpool have the chance to put one foot in next season's Champions League if they can beat Crystal Palace on Saturday. The Reds' hopes of cementing a place in the top five were boosted as Chelsea were routed 3-0 away to Brighton on Tuesday evening.
A dramatic victory at Hill Dickinson Stadium against Everton on Sunday afternoon secured Arne Slot's side a place in the top five and opened up a seven-point gap to the chasing pack. Liverpool need three wins to land a top-five spot and only need two victories to ensure that they finish ahead of Liam Rosenior's side - or just one if they beat Chelsea at Anfield on May 9.
While there is a growing air of optimism around the club, questions still remain about the Reds' poor campaign. Today's Liverpool news sees club captain Virgil van Dijk demand more from his players, while two of the Reds' newest recruits have been called out by an Anfield hero of yesteryear.
Van Dijk's warning
The Liverpool captain has revealed he hopes the less experienced players in the squad will take on more responsibility next season, with the Reds losing club icons Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson this summer.
The Reds have been stripped of many of the veteran stars that brought them so much success under Jurgen Klopp in recent years. Van Dijk, who stepped up when it counted against Everton at the weekend, knows it's on the new batch to deliver.
"Players have to step up. You grow into that (leadership) role or you already have it in you. That is something players have to show even more next season," he said.
"After the World Cup, in pre-season, it will be an interesting development in terms of how the manager sees it as well. And then we have to tackle the season in the best way possible and not have a season like we have had this season again.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 19: Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Everton and Liverpool at Hill Dickinson Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Virgil van Dijk scored Liverpool's last gasp winner(Image: Gareth Copley, Getty Images)
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"You have to ask the question to the guys higher up. The leadership boys are falling apart – in terms of players leaving – so players have to step up and see what the guys making the decisions are going to do. But I’m pretty sure everyone has the right intentions to make us, as a club, competitive, and hopefully not have a season like we’re having this season.
"The focus is now on finishing the season in the best way possible. I think you come to the decisive period now, so if it is slipping away you are playing against very difficult opponents and you can get knocked out – not that that is the Liverpool standard I’m used to or we should be used to, not at all."
Reds stars slammed
Jamie Carragher has challenged Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz to live up to their hefty price tags next season. Isak hasn't struggled to live up to his £125million fee after arriving unfit from Newcastle in the summer due to a lack of pre-season. A four-month lay-off following a leg break at Tottenham Hotspur hasn't helped the Swede acclimatise to life on Merseyside.
Wirtz began slowly at Anfield but began to showcase some of the talent that saw the Reds fork out £116m for the ex-Bayer Leverkusen star After scoring six goals in the winter, Wirtz has underwhelmed of late, recently struggling on the ball against Everton in the Merseyside derby.
Alexander Isak of Liverpool FC and Florian Wirtz of Liverpool FC look dejected during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD3 match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool FC at Frankfurt Stadion on October 22, 2025
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz have shown flashes of their talent for Liverpool(Image: 2025 DeFodi Images)
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"But I've said this before, my experience as a Liverpool player; every player who came to the club, I can't remember one who didn't really do much in his first season and then was a revelation afterwards. Some took a few months, you might get to Christmas, maybe second half of the season, so I think there's a lot to do for the players who has come in. Hugo Ekitike has done well, not amazing but he's done well.
"Isak hasn't got going, he obviously got the injury but he didn't look great to start with, Wirtz has got to do a lot more, an awful lot more when you think of the price that Liverpool have paid for him.
"In terms of what Liverpool need to do next season, well obviously they need to replace Salah. I think for me three players need to come straight into the team. You can't go on and buy five players into the team. Liverpool bought a lot of players last summer so they are not going to buy a load this summer."
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