Van Dijk lays marker down to rivals amid talk of multiple trophy success Virgil van Dijk has fired a warning to all of Liverpool’s rivals following a superb start to the season for the Reds, and believes the club can challenge for trophies on all fronts going forward. Liverpool have made a sensational start to the 2019-20 campaign, holding a perfect 100% record in the league and capturing the UEFA Super Cup via a penalty shoot-out versus Chelsea. The start comes on the back of narrowly losing out to Manchester City in the league last term, but the Anfield faithful’s sorrows were soon washed away when Jurgen Klopp’s men captured a sixth European crown by defeating Tottenham 2-0 in Madrid. It is under Klopp and the towering Dutch centre-back that Liverpool have now returned to prominence as a consistent trophy challenger, with a lack of persistent year after year dogging previous managers over the past 30 years. Now van Dijk, who has also excelled in the international arena amid a resurgence for the Netherlands national team, has fired a warning to all who stand in Liverpool’s way. The 28-year-old told the Mirror: “We want to keep going – and we want to win every game that is ahead of us now. “There are seven games before the next international break. We want to win any match, and so seven wins is the target. That’s what we have to try and do. “It is very hard to say whether the same points total as last season would be enough this time. If you win your games, that is the only way to think. The Citizens once again appear to be Liverpool’s greatest obstacle in ending their near-30 year drought for a domestic league title, but van Dijk appreciates the importance of Liverpool challenging on all fronts. “We know exactly how good Manchester City will be in the Premier League again this season,” said van Dijk “But there’s also the other competitions where we can look to have success. The next few weeks we will be playing Saturday/Tuesday almost all the time. “And there are some tough games. We have Chelsea away, and Napoli away in Europe. The League Cup is never easy. “So we know how tough it is going to be, both this next period and the rest of the season. But we have the mentality and the players to win every game ahead of us.” The six-foot-four man-mountain has ascended to the position of the world’s best defender in most people’s eyes, backed up by receiving the dual accolades of UEFA defender of the year and UEFA men’s player of the year. While individual success is appreciated, van Dijk is in no danger of letting the acclaim go to his head. “I was very proud to win both the UEFA and PFA awards,” said van Dijk. “I knew Fabio Cannavaro was the last defender to win the UEFA one, and that was a long time ago. “There will always be lots of opinions on who is named the best player and whether it is a defender or amore attacking player. I am just very proud they chose me.” READ MORE: Philippe Coutinho has revealed what Klopp said to him after he signed for Bayern Munich, and spoken on what makes the German one of the world’s best managers. Get the latest personalised Reds products on our new TEAMtalk Liverpool shop! The post Van Dijk lays marker down to rivals amid talk of multiple trophy success appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Virgil van Dijk has fired a warning to all of Liverpool’s rivals following a superb start to the season for the Reds, and believes the club can challenge for trophies on all fronts going forward.

Liverpool have made a sensational start to the 2019-20 campaign, holding a perfect 100% record in the league and capturing the UEFA Super Cup via a penalty shoot-out versus Chelsea.

The start comes on the back of narrowly losing out to Manchester City in the league last term, but the Anfield faithful’s sorrows were soon washed away when Jurgen Klopp’s men captured a sixth European crown by defeating Tottenham 2-0 in Madrid.

It is under Klopp and the towering Dutch centre-back that Liverpool have now returned to prominence as a consistent trophy challenger, with a lack of persistent year after year dogging previous managers over the past 30 years.

Now van Dijk, who has also excelled in the international arena amid a resurgence for the Netherlands national team, has fired a warning to all who stand in Liverpool’s way.

The 28-year-old told the Mirror: “We want to keep going – and we want to win every game that is ahead of us now.

“There are seven games before the next international break. We want to win any match, and so seven wins is the target. That’s what we have to try and do.

“It is very hard to say whether the same points total as last season would be enough this time. If you win your games, that is the only way to think.

The Citizens once again appear to be Liverpool’s greatest obstacle in ending their near-30 year drought for a domestic league title, but van Dijk appreciates the importance of Liverpool challenging on all fronts.

“We know exactly how good Manchester City will be in the Premier League again this season,” said van Dijk

“But there’s also the other competitions where we can look to have success. The next few weeks we will be playing Saturday/Tuesday almost all the time.

“And there are some tough games. We have Chelsea away, and Napoli away in Europe. The League Cup is never easy.

“So we know how tough it is going to be, both this next period and the rest of the season. But we have the mentality and the players to win every game ahead of us.”

The six-foot-four man-mountain has ascended to the position of the world’s best defender in most people’s eyes, backed up by receiving the dual accolades of UEFA defender of the year and UEFA men’s player of the year.

While individual success is appreciated, van Dijk is in no danger of letting the acclaim go to his head.

“I was very proud to win both the UEFA and PFA awards,” said van Dijk.

“I knew Fabio Cannavaro was the last defender to win the UEFA one, and that was a long time ago.

“There will always be lots of opinions on who is named the best player and whether it is a defender or amore attacking player. I am just very proud they chose me.”

READ MORE: Philippe Coutinho has revealed what Klopp said to him after he signed for Bayern Munich, and spoken on what makes the German one of the world’s best managers.

 

Get the latest personalised Reds products on our new TEAMtalk Liverpool shop!

 

The post Van Dijk lays marker down to rivals amid talk of multiple trophy success appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Steve Pearson