Virgil van Dijk is hoping lessons have been learnt by Liverpool from last season’s slip-ups as they tussle it out for four trophies this term.
The ‘Q word’ has not been mentioned yet on Merseyside but the Reds put themselves into the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-1 win over Lille on Tuesday night. Arne Slot’s side sit top of the new format in Europe and are also Premier League leaders with a six-point advantage over their nearest rivals.
They’re trailing Tottenham by a goal in the Carabao Cup semi-finals while they’ve got an FA Cup fourth-round trip to Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle next month. It was just 12 months ago that the Reds were also in the hunt for all four trophies after they beat Chelsea in the League Cup decider at Wembley.
But they crashed out of the Europa League at the hands of Atalanta in April after Manchester United dumped them out of the FA Cup and their title challenge faltered around the same time.
"I think you have to learn from difficult moments and moments that don't go your way,” said the club captain. “Most of the guys in the dressing room now have experienced last year and that should make you better, make you aware of how to deal with certain situations and circumstances, and you should be better equipped.
“Let's see. At the moment I am looking at our team and we are very calm, we are working our socks off each and every day, each and every game, and we need everyone fit, healthy and in form and that's the aim.
“Going into every game with the mentality it is game-by-game. That's how it's always been the case. It's a nice ride, I think you should enjoy it as well and I will definitely do it.”
Liverpool fans are certainly enjoying the ride under Slot this season, which many expected may be a campaign of transition following the departure of Jurgen Klopp after more than nine years in charge. This weekend marks 12 months since Klopp shocked Liverpool fans by announcing he would depart at the end of the season.
The emotion of his prolonged farewell meant there was huge pressure on the Reds to deliver for their departing boss. Now a year on and the start of Slot’s tenure couldn’t be going any better.
"At this point we haven't achieved anything but we are in a very good place and a place that other teams playing in both competitions wants to be in and is fighting for,” said Van Dijk. “But we have to stay calm and we will.
“If we have surprised ourselves, I don't know. I know this squad already for a couple of years so there are not many changes; obviously the biggest change is the manager and the staff and how he wants us to play.
“I think we adapted to that pretty quickly, I don't think there are major tweaks but what has been changed I think the boys have been doing brilliantly. That has been shown and we have to keep that going until the end of the season and hopefully we can get the reward for that.”
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