Liverpool — Virgil van Dijk has pledged to perform “far better” as he battles to halt his worrisome decline in form this season.
By his own high standards, Van Dijk has struggled in the first eight games of the new season, and the Dutch central defender is not afraid to admit it.
James Milner singled out Van Dijk for criticism after the defender failed to close down Jadon Sancho before the Manchester United striker scored in the Reds’ 2-1 loss at Old Trafford.
Several of his errors contributed to Liverpool’s humbling Champions League loss to Napoli, 4-1.
Van Dijk is desperate to return to form after assisting Liverpool to a tense 2-1 victory over Ajax on Tuesday.
“What we did last week (against Napoli) was inexcusable, and in the days following that game we definitely had a dose of reality,” he remarked.
“I still believe I have room for improvement, which is acceptable. Play the games, learn from your failures, limit your exposure to the outside world, and communicate with those closest to you.
“I’ve stated numerous times that we are all human beings who desire to perform as best as possible, and the same applies to me. I am certain I can do much better, but we can all do so.
“I feel a sense of responsibility when we concede goals and don’t keep clean sheets, which is a good thing.
“I want to turn around this season not just for myself, but for everyone affiliated with the club, and we want to perform as well as possible.”
Liverpool gained the lead against Ajax for the second time this season, resulting in the victory.
Van Dijk said there were promising indicators despite the team’s occasionally weak defensive appearances.
“There are reasons why things are not going well. I believe the reasons have been outlined, particularly the match against Napoli “he added.
“We were utterly stunning that night, we all acknowledge it, and that saddens me and us all.
“We discussed it, drew a line under it, and displayed glimpses of our normal selves against Ajax. We are successful when we operate as a team.”