Liverpool dressing room thoughts on title race as Virgil van Dijk opens up

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has played down the idea that a victory over Manchester City would already see them get their hands on the Premier League trophy despite being able to extend their lead to 11 points.

The Dutchman's comments come as City manager Pep Guardiola and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan suggested a defeat at Anfield could spell the end of the visitors' quintuple title dreams.

With Liverpool also ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea, Van Dijk remains cautious, placing emphasis on the length of the season following his impressive Champions League triumph over Real Madrid.

“We will be in December on Sunday and there are still five months to go,” Van Dijk said after the 2-0 win at Anfield.

“Obviously we want to win the game, but we know what they are capable of and first and foremost we have to be ready for this challenge and whatever happens after that we have to carry on and stay calm.”

Van Dijk has warned his teammates to prepare for a tough game against City, despite the latter's recent poor form. “For some reason they won [the title] four times in a row,” he said. “We have to be ready for a very difficult weekend and we will be.

“Hopefully not on Sunday, but we need to be at our best to get a result and that’s what we’re aiming for.”

Van Dijk also noted that City are known for their strong post-Christmas performances, which have already helped them overcome significant points deficits.

This suggests that Liverpool should not underestimate their opponents, especially as City could claim their first win at Anfield under Guardiola in the presence of a crowd.

This would reduce the gap at the top of the standings to just five points.

“We should not look at anyone but ourselves,” Van Dijk advised. “As long as we’re consistent and scoring points, that’s all that matters.

“That's what we're focused on. I want to make sure as a team we win games, find ways to win the game, work hard and stay calm.”