Van Dijk Demands Quick Improvement From Liverpool Before The Champions League Party

Virgil van Dijk wants Liverpool to improve immediately before playing in the Champions League (Instagram/@liverpoolfc).

JAKARTA - Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk urged his team to stay tenant "after a 1-2 defeat to Crystal Palace. He acknowledged the Reds had to improve their performance quickly if they wanted to succeed this season.

The Premier League champions lost their first win of the season at Selhurst Park thanks to a last-minute goal from Palace substitute Eddie Nketiah.

This result makes their eternal rival, Arsenal, able to reduce the difference in points to just two points after a 2-1 win against Newcastle United.

"We are disappointed with our performance. Disappointed with this defeat, especially the way we face it. I think if we got a draw here, it means we've taken a point. That's how we feel right now."

"I don't think there's any reason to worry, but we have to improve our performance fast enough because obviously we will play (against Galatasaray in the Champions League) in Turkey on Wednesday (1 October 2025)."

"We will also face a very difficult match there, so we have to be ready," said Van Dijk.

After often scoring goals at the end of the season - until the nickname Arne Slot Time - Liverpool thought they had won valuable points against Palace when Federico Chiesa came off the bench to equalize in the 87th minute.

However, Crystal Palace's game was much better and deserved three points. Oliver Glasner's side should have even been able to ensure victory in the first half, had Alisson Becker not made a series of brilliant saves after Ismalia Sarr opened the scoring.

Van Dijk also agreed that Crystal Palace's game was very disciplined, which made them unbeaten in the previous 17 matches.

"Those are fundamental things we don't do well. Sometimes we can experience days like this. Hopefully, this is the only day this season where we can do that."

"There is a reason why they are unbeaten in 17, now 18 matches. They are very difficult to penetrate, very disciplined, defensive in, and they have no problem with it."

"They also have quality of counter-attacks that can be dangerous. However, it all started with ourselves."

"We were careless in possession, didn't win the second ball, and we created momentum for them. They should have gone three or four goals in the first half."

"We are lucky, in my opinion, to have the best goalkeeper in the world saved us. If we draw, we are only one point ahead," said Van Dijk.

Furthermore, Van Dijk again reminded his Liverpool colleagues to continue to improve themselves and look to the game ahead.

The Champions League Party against Galatasaray is very crucial for competition for eight tickets to qualify directly for the next phase.

"There are many challenges throughout the season. Everyone has to face it in their own way, but obviously as a team we also have to deal with it."

"The biggest challenge now is to stay calm. I have emphasized it many times, never being too high or too low. Just work and don't listen too much to the outside world."

"You know when you can do better and today everyone knows that. We had another chance on Wednesday (1 October 2025 WIB) at a very interesting stadium, with a large audience, the Champions League, to turn things around again and focus on the next and next matches," said the Dutchman.