Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk has admitted their is no point talking about the title after falling six points behind leaders Manchester City.
City’s win over Leicester on Boxing Day moved them further clear of the Reds but as Jurgen Klopp’s side aimed to close the gap when they played the foxes themselves, they fell to a disappointing loss.
Leicester City defy the odds, ride their luck and take their chance
Mohamed Salah’s first-half penalty was saved by Kasper Schmeichel with Sadio Mane also missing a good chance. Substitute Ademola Lookman then grabbed the winner in the second half to end Liverpool’s 2021 on a sour note.
However, van Dijk is keen not to get drawn on the title race, claiming there is still a long time to go.
Speaking to Amazon Prime after the game, the Dutchman said: “What can we say? We are in December, the season is still so long. Anything can happen still – we’ve seen it now with the COVID, but also with injuries in teams.
“Things can change there… there is no point for us to look at them [leaders Manchester City] or look at Chelsea or the teams around us at this point in the season and we won’t.
“We should look at our performance today, we have to improve and take it with us into the next game. We all wanted to do better today, that’s a fact, and unfortunately we weren’t good enough and they deserved the win.
Defeat at Leicester. #LEILIV pic.twitter.com/jlmAxWj5Lg
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 28, 2021
“I think they deserved the win, but it was obviously down to us. I think we were poor in the last third, in my opinion: a lot of crosses that they defended well.
“It was just overall not a good performance and obviously they didn’t create much, but they looked dangerous on the break, what they are obviously good at.
“So credit to them and we have to look at ourselves. Everyone has to look in the mirror and improve and that’s what we will do. That’s part of football as well.”
Leicester are the first team so far this season to prevent Liverpool from scoring with van Dijk revealing he thought it was just one of those days.
“We will keep trying until the very end and we created good chances in my opinion. Unfortunately today was not the day that it fell into the back of the net; a penalty missed, it can happen.
“It’s very disappointing for us but like I said, it’s part of football and we have to take this with us and be ready for a very big one on Sunday.
On Liverpool’s defending for the Lookman strike, the defender said: “Obviously you don’t want to concede at all. I think he had a little bit too much space at first and we let him use his strength – he’s a good dribbler and unfortunately the goal went in.
“But still, we had moments that we reacted in, we created chances and should have done better but overall I think Leicester can be proud of their performance and you have to give them credit as well.”
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