Virgil van Dijk makes irritation clear with Liverpool teammates - 'Too many times'

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Virgil van Dijk couldn't hide his frustration after Liverpool suffered a 10th Premier League defeat of the season in Saturday's 2-1 loss at Brighton .

Danny Welbeck scored twice to condemn Arne Slot's side to defeat on the south quest, putting a further dent in their quest for Champions League football next term. For Van Dijk, fronting up after another failure having delivered a number of public rallying cries, it was another irritating day, coming on the back of recent disappointments against Wolves and Spurs.

And he says the whole squad have to improve or they'll miss out on a seat at European football's top table next term.

"My initial reaction [is one of] frustration, I think I have been repeating myself lately," Van Dijk said. "It is the situation. I was also surprised when I was on the training pitch yesterday (Friday), and I only saw the amount of players that I saw, but that is the situation. So yes, it is tough.

"Listen, I don't know what to say - I said over the last months the same thing. We can't build on a good performance. That is something that has to change if we are to achieve what we are trying to achieve, and that is Champions League football.

"We are trying everything. We are trying to turn it around and we are hopefully going to turn a corner, but it doesn't look that way at the moment. Obviously we go away now to our different countries. Everyone has a responsibility to stay as fit as everyone can and come back ever better if that is possible.

"I would rather to try and win games. But the next one for me is against Norway. That will be my focus now, but the feeling I have and the rest of the players should have is frustration, because it is the same story now. It happened again."

Van Dijk added: "I've been asked that question (what the issue is) many times this season and it still didn't happen. It's down to us and so we have to do it as players, as a group. If we change that, then obviously we can be a very dangerous force throughout the whole season. But at the moment, we are not.

"I'm going to Holland now, and everyone is going to different countries. Everyone has to look after themselves. Most of the players play friendlies as well and then we come back and we have a very quick turnaround again because we are back on Thursday and play on Saturday, early kick-off again.

"Then PSG , Fulham and PSG again - very intense days. Let's see how everyone comes back and embraces it, but no one wants to lose games and keep being in that cycle. I'm also frustrated for the fans. They travel all the way here, early, supporting us, and we couldn't deliver again. So it's tough."

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Already without Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak - who returned to the training field last week - Liverpool lost leading marksman Hugo Ekitike early on. And for the Dutchman, that meant the Reds lost much of their threat in behind the Brighton defence.

"When Hugo comes off and you look at the team, there was not a lot of runs in behind," Van Dijk added. "There is not a lot on that side. That wasn't the issue why we lost but it changed a bit of our game. When he made changes, the formation changed and the positions changed and then you're asking different things.

"It's a combination of everything but the matter of fact is that we can't build on a good performance that we had midweek. It was a very quick turnaround but that is not an excuse of why we lost.

"It happened too many times and if it keeps happening then there is no chance of success. If there is still a chance then I am always confident, but we have to do better, of course.

"And if we don't then it is going to be very difficult. Seven more games and tough ones as well, so things have to change for us to deserve that as well."

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