Virgil van Dijk Addresses Liverpool Are 'Best Team In Europe' Claims After Bayer Leverkusen Thumping
Virgil van Dijk has weighed on claims that Liverpool are the 'best team in Europe' right now following a convincing win over Bayer Leverkusen.
Prior to the game on Tuesday night, former Reds midfielder and current Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso labelled Arne Slot's side as "one of, if not the best team in Europe" currently.
Liverpool thumped Leverkusen 4-0 to go top of the revamped Champions League table with 12 points from four games.
The Reds are also at the summit of the Premier League standings with 25 points, two points above defending champions Manchester City.
Despite the hype around Liverpool, Van Dijk has urged his team-mates to finish strongly against Aston Villa ahead of the November international break next week.
"Based on the results we are doing very well but I would definitely let others do the talking," Van Dijk said.
"There is no point in me making statements like this because I know how it works in this world.
"We have to just keep going and I just want to win every game that is in front of us, like each and everyone of us in the dressing room. We know how difficult that is and so far, so good.
"But for example now, we recover and we have to be ready for another big one on Saturday and we have to finish that off good before the international break and then everyone goes in different directions now after that.
"So hopefully everyone comes back fit and healthy and ready to rock and roll for what is a very interesting period. So, it's all about just keep going.
"We are happy but we want to be happy at the end of the season and that is all about working each day and getting better and working on things that we have to improve because there are still so many things to improve.
"We all know that as players and the manager is very keen to show that too."
Van Dijk added: "I think the overall performance was good and I think people forget we play against the champions of Germany and someone told me they have only lost once in all competitions.
"So you are always going to have difficult moments in games.
"I don't think they created too many chances in the first half.
"Or no chances at all, a couple of shots from distance if I am correct and the disallowed goal, which is disallowed, so that is obviously the reason.
"Second half with the goals we scored and the intensity we put into it, they couldn't cope with it and in the end it was a very good win.
"[The first goal] was quality, quality all over.
"An amazing ball from Curtis and a fantastic finish and you see we have the quality to hurt opponents and it was a good goal.
"Lucho (Diaz) is an amazing player, like the rest of the guys.
"Cody was amazing again, Mo was outstanding, so good.
"Darwin is very important and they have to keep going because we need players who are in form, we need players who are firing and playing their best football."
LFC Transfer Room Football Correspondent. Covered the fortunes of Liverpool for the past three years. Follow Joseph on X (formerly Twitter) @joseph_agbobli