Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has declared his team's intention to use the FA Cup as a platform to prove their championship credentials, warning against any complacency in their upcoming tie against Barnsley.
Building on Arsenal Momentum
The Reds head into the match on the back of a creditable goalless draw away at Premier League leaders Arsenal on Thursday. That result extended their unbeaten run to an impressive 10 matches, a feat many pundits doubted they could achieve at the Emirates Stadium.
Despite the positive result, Van Dijk is keen for the team to start converting performances into a more dominant reputation. "I am really looking forward to the FA Cup, and the Champions League too," the Dutch defender said. "There are still a lot of games to play and a lot of opportunities to go out and show why we are Liverpool and why we are the reigning champions."
Barnsley's Anfield History a Warning
Van Dijk emphasised that Barnsley will not be taken lightly when they visit Anfield on Monday. The League One side, currently 17th in the table and having lost four of their last six, famously stunned Liverpool in their last visit in 2008, with Brian Howard scoring a 90th-minute winner for the then-Championship club.
"They will try everything in order to get through, and we have to be ready for a big fight and the chances to finish them off," Van Dijk added, underlining the importance of the competition.
Slot Seeks Improvement Despite Praise
Manager Arne Slot, meanwhile, expressed a degree of puzzlement at the praise his team received for the draw at Arsenal. He pointed out a recurring issue in Liverpool's season: dominating possession without creating enough clear chances.
"I am a bit surprised that people think this is a good performance because when we have 60 or 70 per cent ball possession against other teams people find it boring and now it is a good performance," Slot remarked. He identified set-pieces and final-third execution as key areas needing improvement, issues the squad is working on daily.
The Dutch coach will hope to have striker Hugo Ekitike back available after the French international missed the last two games with a hamstring problem. For Slot, the challenge against Barnsley is not merely to win, but to win convincingly and address the recent lack of excitement in his team's performances.
