Energized, "Van Dijk" delivers a motivational message to Liverpool ahead of their decisive Premier League title clash against Arsenal.
On 6 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool's captain and defender, gave a recent interview ahead of the crucial Premier League 2025-26 season match. Liverpool will visit Arsenal for the game set for the evening of Thursday, 8 January.
Currently, Liverpool stands 4th in the Premier League table with 34 points from 20 matches, recording 10 wins, 4 draws, and 6 losses. They trail leaders Arsenal by 14 points, making the Reds' chance to defend their title very slim.
Virgil van Dijk sought to rally Liverpool before facing Arsenal, saying, "First of all, we need to recover, but starting Tuesday, we will definitely assess their strength. They have an excellent team, both starters and substitutes."
"We all know they remain unbeaten at home this season across all competitions. It's a great challenge, and we must prepare for a big fight."
"I am really looking forward to this game, and I think everyone should be as well. That’s the only way to aim for a good result there. There's no reason not to look forward to it. In my view, it’s another opportunity, but first we must recover, then focus on that match."
Regarding Liverpool’s most recent game, where they conceded a late equalizer to Fulham at 2-2 in the 90+7th minute, Van Dijk commented, "Every match in the Premier League is very tough. I think they have made things difficult for many teams this season."
"In the second half, we played better, came back, and were more eager to attack their penalty area, but then we conceded a goal at the very last moment. It was very disappointing."
"It's quite hard to analyze everything. You tend to focus on negatives, and it's difficult to see the positives. We need to focus on the positives and carry that into the next challenge awaiting us. That’s the reality."
"If you look at the players, Cody Gakpo had to play as a forward, and we played with five midfielders behind him. So yes, that is true as well. But even so, we keep fighting and are heading into the game against Arsenal."