Virgil van Dijk has called for calm after Liverpool suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time under Arne Slot, losing 1-0 to Galatasaray in the Champions League. The Premier League leaders had also lost at Crystal Palace on Saturday, but the captain insisted there is no need for panic.
Victor Osimhen's first-half penalty proved decisive in Istanbul, where Liverpool were without several key players. The defeat was compounded by injuries to goalkeeper Alisson and forward Hugo Ekitiké, with Slot confirming Alisson will miss Saturday's trip to Chelsea.
Slot defended his decision to rest Mohamed Salah until the 62nd minute, citing the forward's recent workload. He also praised his team's first-half performance, saying 'there was a lot more to like' compared to the Palace defeat, but admitted the second half was difficult as Galatasaray fought hard.
Van Dijk acknowledged the need for improvement but stressed confidence in the squad. 'We have showed it already in many games this season but not for the full 90 minutes,' he said. 'We had a good start in terms of points tally. There shouldn't be panic, but improvement is needed.'
