Liverpool drew with Burnley at the weekend, but manager Virgil van Dijk has touched on the idea that he called a team meeting in the wake of the stalemate at Anfield.
Virgil van Dijk has rejected the idea that he called a team meeting after Liverpool played against Burnley (Image: TNT Sports)
Manager Virgil van Dijk has rubbished a proposal to call a team meeting after Liverpool’s draw with Burnley at the weekend, saying instead that the team will always stick together.
The Reds were unable to beat the Clarets at the weekend, with the team sitting 19th in the Premier League somehow leaving Anfield with one point. Marcus Edwards scored in the second half to cancel out Liverpool’s first goal, which had ended in a stalemate for four games in a row.
Reports said the centre-half had requested a team meeting to get his team back on winning ways, but the Dutchman disputed that claim. Van Dijk said the riot act was never read out and meetings were always scheduled.
Liverpool’s domestic form has been patchy, winning only three of their last nine games, but they have been more efficient in Europe. Marseille made it 3-0 with Dominik Szoboszlai’s opening goal and had a relatively easy exit. But Van Dijk insisted the team had not responded to any battle cry.
He told TNT Sports: “I don’t know who put it in the media. They asked me if there was a meeting after the last game, and obviously there was supposed to be a meeting, but they didn’t say it was from me. I don’t know where this misinformation came from.”
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The victory moved Liverpool into the top eight of the Champions League and guaranteed them a straight place into the last 16. The Reds have won five of their seven games during the European campaign, looking to surpass last season’s early defeat.
Van Dijk admitted he had always wanted to play at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome and tasted victory on his first try. He praised the team’s performance in dealing with the absence of Ibrahima Konate and the challenges of facing Roberto De Zerbi’s side.
The Reds played lightheartedly in Marseille in the south of France (Image: 2026 Getty Images)
The defender continued: “That’s what I always say after a win or a good result. Sometimes you go to Bournemouth to try your best to recover, but they are difficult to beat. We have to be more than ready. We’ll fly back tomorrow and we’ll move on.”
Liverpool head to the Vitality Stadium at the weekend looking to consolidate their place in the top four alongside the likes of Manchester United, Brentford and Newcastle.
Manager Arne Slott hit back at suggestions his side are suffering from inconsistency given their unbeaten run, but admitted they are struggling to break down teams at the back.
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