Liverpool Captain Virgil van Dijk acknowledged the defending champions are struggling for consistency whilst insisting team spirit remains strong following Saturday’s dramatic 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth.
It was a significant blow to the club’s Champions League hopes as Amine Adli struck the winner in the dying moments, breaking the hearts of the away fans.
The Reds appeared to have salvaged a point when Dominik Szoboszlai found the net from distance, but Adli’s late intervention condemned the visitors to yet another setback.
Arne Slot’s side have managed just four points from a possible 15 this calendar year, leaving them trailing Arsenal and battling for a top-four place.
“I don’t think there’s any question about our togetherness,” Van Dijk said, according to Liverpool’s website.
“But the consistency that we’re looking for, that’s something that still needs to be found. That’s the reality.
“There was a lot of praise for our performances, a lot of individual praise, and we know how it works and three days later (after Marseille) you lose a game like we did and the other side of the world comes out. That’s something we have to deal with.
“But we want to perform, we want to win games and it didn’t happen unfortunately.”
Virgil van Dijk acknowledged the defending champions are struggling for consistency
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Van Dijk defended his individual display amid challenging wet and windy conditions on the south coast.
He claimed he was blocked before Adli’s decisive strike.
He said: “What I felt on the pitch was that I was clearly blocked, but obviously the ref and VAR don’t give it and that’s something we then have to accept. In my opinion, I was blocked.
“The first goal, it was a difficult ball to judge during the circumstances – the wind was very tricky.”
Van Dijk defended his individual display amid challenging wet and windy conditions on the south coast
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The captain added: “I think you saw it especially when we played long balls on their side, it was very difficult to judge.
“And then obviously when we were with 10 men, you can argue that you have to maybe kick the ball out or not.
“But to concede those two goals in a short period is obviously not good at all.”
The Cherries have collected seven points from nine following an 11-match winless streak, easing their relegation concerns.
Virgil van Dijk claimed he was blocked before Adli’s decisive strike
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Virgil van Dijk’s error gifted Bournemouth their opening goal, with Evanilson capitalising on the captain’s mistake.
Milos Kerkez, facing his former employers, endured a torrid first half marked by rash defending and costly lapses in concentration.
Alex Jimenez doubled the hosts’ advantage in circumstances that compounded Liverpool’s misery.
Joe Gomez, who had performed superbly in the midweek victory over Marseille, was forced off after sustaining an injury caused by Van Dijk’s misjudgment, which led to goalkeeper Alisson Becker inadvertently harming his own teammate.
