Amid the anticipation to kick off a new season, Virgil van Dijk has detailed the fundamentals Liverpool will need as reigning Premier League champions.
Arne Slot’s side begin their defence of the title this evening at Anfield, hosting AFC Bournemouth at 8pm BST.
Van Dijk is counting down the hours to a return of competitive football on home soil and believes the Reds are nicely primed to attack the campaign.
Though the captain has also used his matchday programme notes to stress the need for improvement, consistency and mentality if 2025-26 is to be a success
Amid the anticipation to kick off a new season, Virgil van Dijk has detailed the fundamentals Liverpool will need as reigning Premier League champions.
Van Dijk is counting down the hours to a return of competitive football on home soil and believes the Reds are nicely primed to attack the campaign.
Though the captain has also used his matchday programme notes to stress the need for improvement, consistency and mentality if 2025-26 is to be a success.
“The start of a new season is always exciting, and this year is no different as we begin our journey to try to retain our Premier League title,” writes Van Dijk.
“I can’t wait to see and hear you all this evening as we welcome a very good Bournemouth side to our home. There’s nothing quite like Anfield under the lights, and we are all really looking forward to getting back out there.
“I know that you guys, as ever, will be right behind us, and that noise, colour and support will be extremely important for us over the course of the season, as it was last year.
“In my opinion, there is a lot to be excited for this season. Of course, we were disappointed with the way the FA Community Shield ended for us at Wembley last weekend – it is never nice to miss out on a trophy – but in a general sense I feel like we are in good shape heading into the new campaign.
“For sure, we know there are things that we have to improve if we want to stay at the top. As a team, we can defend better than we have been during the pre-season games. We are humble enough to admit that, and we will all be working extremely hard every day to tighten things up and get better collectively.
“Mentality, as ever, will be vitally important if we are to have a successful season. I spoke many times last season about the importance of having the right mindset, of being willing to listen, to work and to sacrifice, of always being ready to make an impact, whether in the starting line-up or from the bench. It will be no different this time around, even if the squad has seen quite a few changes since we last played in the Premier League.
“From what I have seen so far, the new players who have come in have bought into what is required. You can see the quality that these players have, that’s obvious, but they also have that work ethic, that desire to improve. For that reason, I expect them all to make a positive impact, this season and beyond.
“In terms of Bournemouth, we know that they will provide a tough test. They have a good manager and good players, and we will need to be ready to compete and to fight from the first whistle, as we will in every game we play this season.
“I don’t need to remind anyone of the strength of the Premier League, we saw that last season and we saw it against Crystal Palace at Wembley. This is, in my opinion, the toughest and most competitive league in the world, and it challenges you in every single game you play.
“And I don’t need to remind anyone of the importance of consistency, either. Consistency is what allowed us to be successful last season, and that will be the case again. Train well, recover well, prepare well, hopefully play well. Those are the requirements.
A number of special tributes will be paid to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva at Anfield tonight, with the fixture against the Cherries the first league match at the stadium since they tragically passed away in early July.
Van Dijk adds: “Tonight, of course, will be the first Premier League game we have played since we lost Diogo and Andre. It will be a very emotional occasion for everybody associated with the club, and especially for Diogo’s wife, Rute, their children and his family, who will be in attendance this evening.
“They remain, of course, the most important people in all of this, and it is important that we as a club – players, staff, supporters – are there for them always, and that they know that they will always be loved and welcomed here at Anfield.
“I know that will be the case. Liverpool is a family, and tonight we will show that once more.”
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