Virgil van Dijk admits Liverpool were fully aware of the challenge facing them at Arsenal on Sunday with Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders ‘having a great season’ so far, speaking to the club’s official website.
With every week that passes, Manchester United’s 3-1 smash-and-grab victory over the Gunners at Old Trafford looks more and more impressive. Because, that frustrating afternoon in the north west aside, Arsenal have been pretty-much faultless across 2022/23.
They have won 10 out of 11 games in all competitions; extending their best start to a season in over 15 years with a thrilling yet well-deserved 3-2 victory over a spluttering Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.
Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli score as Arsenal beat Liverpool
“Very disappointing,” sighs Van Dijk, who’s Liverpool side are now two places behind a Bournemouth side hit for nine at Anfield earlier in the campaign.
“Obviously, it was a very tough game for both sides. We had good moments, we had bad moments and it got decided by a penalty (scored by Bukayo Saka) that, from our point of view, wasn’t a penalty.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the points to bring with us back to Liverpool. It is tough to take in general conceding goals. But we know that they are in the best moment of their lives. And obviously they (only) lost once so far. They are having a great season.
“We know it was always going to be tough. I think they had good moments, created good chances at times.”
The exhilarating Saka scored twice in North London, with fellow winger Gabriel Martinelli breathing even more life into the Trent Alexander-Arnold debate during a rip-roaring first half. Martinelli, who is quickly becoming one of the Premier League’s finest forward players, opened the scoring after less than 60 seconds before turning provider on the stroke of half-time.
“We can’t change it now,” Van Dijk adds. “Like I said, the only thing we can do is try to win the next game ahead of us. We know in the league it is going to be quite a tough one. But first we have to recover, look at today (and) what we can do better. There will be plenty of moments that we can all do better.
“The games come thick and fast. We just have to be ready.”
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