Virgil van Dijk has warned Manchester City “can turn it around at any moment” and said it is too early in the season to discount Pep Guardiola’s struggling side.
City have suffered a remarkable fall from grace over the past few weeks and will arrive at Anfield on Sunday on a run of six games without a win, constituting five defeats and Tuesday night’s 3-3 draw with Feyenoord in which they squandered a 3-0 lead.
Liverpool’s form is in stark contrast to City’s with last night’s 2-0 defeat of Real Madrid meaning Arne Slot’s men have won 17 of their 19 games this season.
They top the revamped Champions League and would move 11 points clear of City in the Premier League with another victory at the weekend.
Liverpool or Man City? pic.twitter.com/VpWTjemIkV
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 28, 2024
Reds not getting carried away – Van Dijk
Liverpool are in a strong position but Van Dijk was urging caution.
The Reds captain said: “We are going to be in December on Sunday and there are still five months to go.
“Obviously they are not in the best form of their lives, I think injuries play a big part in that.
“We as a team have been in a situation like that with loads of injuries and it is never easy to then find consistency and the confidence.
“But I know, like everyone else who understands football and has seen Man City over the last few years, they can turn it around at any moment.
“Hopefully not on Sunday but we have to be at our best to get a result and that’s what we are aiming for.
“We want to win the game but we know what they are capable of and first and foremost we have to be ready for that challenge and whatever happens after that we have to keep going and stay calm.
“For a reason they won [the title] four times in a row. We have to be ready for a very difficult one at the weekend and we will be.”
Consistency the key
Van Dijk, who along with Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, is out of contract at the end of the season simply wants Liverpool to keep their heads down and focus on winning games.
He added: “As long as we are consistent, getting points on the board is all that matters. That is what we are focusing on.
“I want to make sure we as a team are winning games, finding ways to win the game, working our socks off and staying calm.”
