Virgil van Dijk stated it “ought to not be taken for granted” what Liverpool have been attaining earlier than their Champions League quarter-final with Benfica.
The Reds journey to Lisbon on Tuesday nonetheless in competition to win the quadruple this season.
Having already gained the Carabao Cup, they sit one level off Premier League leaders Manchester City, who they tackle within the FA Cup semi-finals.
“We simply need to make this season an unforgettable one,” stated Van Dijk.
“If you stated it at the beginning of the season that we’d nonetheless be in all competitions at this stage, with a full squad, [we’d have taken it].
“We ought to simply take pleasure in it, go to Lisbon and provides it our all. If it is not sufficient, we go once more subsequent season. The issues which might be happening at Liverpool ought to not be taken for granted.”
The Liverpool centre-back, who signed a three-year contract extension in the summertime, performed simply 5 league video games final season after he sustained an anterior cruciate ligament damage in October 2020.
Before his damage he was broadly considered top-of-the-line defenders on the earth and had performed a vital function in Liverpool’s Premier League title win in 2019-20 and Champions League success the season earlier than.
Van Dijk admitted he felt individuals “anticipated the identical” stage from him instantly upon his return this season.
“Before the worldwide break in January, I did care somewhat bit that it was going unnoticed,” stated Van Dijk.
“I felt a bit taken for granted, getting back from a long-term damage, that every thing was type of ‘regular’ – that everybody anticipated the identical.
“But after the break I did not and possibly that helped the performances. Everyone is taking part in their half.”
‘Situation we’d have dreamed of’
Jurgen Klopp has a full squad accessible for Tuesday’s match with midfielder Naby Keita returning, together with defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was an unused substitute in Saturday’s league win over Watford.
The Liverpool boss has referred to as on his facet to “run like mad” and is anticipating “an fascinating problem” from the Portuguese hosts.
“We want want, mentality and pleasure. You cannot purchase that,” stated Klopp.
“We have performed video games earlier than once we have been 1-0 up and we have been nonetheless working like mad. I need my gamers considering in the precise approach.
“I do not take into consideration being higher, I take into consideration us being on high of our sport. That’s the plan for all of the video games. You attempt to enhance usually.
“We all know one failure, one little misstep, and no less than one competitors can be gone. That’s no downside for us, we’re simply prepared for the following problem. We take pleasure in it. It is the state of affairs we’d have dreamed of.”
