Liverpool Target Top Eight After Marseille Victory, Van Dijk Demands Focus

Liverpool move close to the Champions League last 16 after a controlled 3-0 win over Marseille at Stade Velodrome, extending an unbeaten run in all competitions to 13 matches. Virgil van Dijk and Arne

Slot both stress that finishing in the top eight of the league phase now becomes crucial.

Dominik Szoboszlai opened the scoring before an own goal from Geronimo Rulli, with Cody Gakpo adding the third as Liverpool kept a clean sheet. The result lifts Liverpool to fourth place in the 36-team Champions League league-phase table on 15 points, with Qarabag visiting Anfield in the final fixture.

Since the start of last season, Liverpool have been among the strongest travellers in UEFA’s main club competition. In league-phase away matches, Liverpool have played eight, winning six and losing two, a record matched only by Arsenal, who have played eight, winning six, drawing one and losing once.

The win in Marseille also strengthens a long unbeaten sequence across all tournaments. Liverpool are now 13 games without defeat in every competition, recording seven wins and six draws over that period. No club from Europe’s top five leagues currently has a longer ongoing streak without a loss.

Van Dijk underlined how important it is for Liverpool to clinch a place in the top eight, which would send the team straight to the last 16 and avoid the play-off round. Securing that position against Qarabag at Anfield would also ease a busy match schedule that includes Premier League and domestic cup fixtures.

"It's very important as you miss the play-offs, and it helps with the intense programme that we're having. It's all down to us again next week, at home," Van Dijk said. "Let's make sure we're in the top eight. We've put ourselves in a good position, but that's for next week. "

Slot backed Van Dijk’s view and linked the Champions League top eight directly to Liverpool’s squad depth and injury situation. "People can see what a squad we have," Slot added. "We have three players out with injuries, and we already don't have the size of squad that our competitors have, so it's important we don't play these games. "

Mohamed Salah returned to club duty following time with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations and made a notable impact, even without scoring. Salah’s appearance was the 88th for Liverpool in major European competitions, which brings Salah level with Ian Callaghan at the top of the club’s all-time list.

With Salah involved, Liverpool recorded an expected goals figure of 1.49 from 11 attempts, underlining efficient attacking play supported by compact defending. The performance helped manage a potentially hostile visit, with Marseille’s support and aggressive style often turning Stade Velodrome into a difficult venue for travelling teams.

Competition detail	Figure
Unbeaten run (all competitions)	13 matches (7 wins, 6 draws)
Champions League league-phase away record since 2023-24	8 played, 6 wins, 2 losses
Current Champions League league-phase position	4th of 36 teams
Points after win vs Marseille	15 points
Expected goals vs Marseille	1.49 from 11 shots
Salah European appearances for Liverpool	88 (level with Ian Callaghan)

The Liverpool manager gave a detailed assessment of the display in France and highlighted the importance of controlling transitions. "It could have been a tricky place to go, and it is because of their fans, but also because of their players and manager. We had to be very good today, and we were," Slot said. "We should have done better on the counter-attack. We were very positive on the ball. We scored three and everyone will be more positive than when we create five chances but score one. In the last 13 games unbeaten, we've only beenbehind for54 minutes. We had many earlier chances to win it today. Today, we probably deserve what we got. We weren't unlucky, like we've been so many times this season. I know why we're not consistent and that is mainly done when a game is open. It is completely different from playing against a low block. You cannot compare that with the game tonight, when both teams wanted to press and play out from the back. If we're inconsistent, it's because we struggle with low blocks. "

The clean sheet in Marseille followed a period where Liverpool often felt frustrated by narrow margins. Slot noted that the team had created opportunities in previous matches but did not always turn pressure into goals, especially when facing deeper defensive structures rather than opponents who pressed high.

Three points and a clean sheet#UCL pic.twitter.com/1d5TGHI5mwLiverpool FC (@LFC) January 21, 2026

Liverpool Champions League momentum and domestic focus

Attention now shifts quickly from the Champions League towards domestic competition. Liverpool meet Bournemouth next in the Premier League, after drawing the last four league fixtures. That recent run has slowed momentum in the title race, increasing the importance of managing energy between European and domestic commitments.

Van Dijk stressed recovery and preparation as Liverpool look to respond in the league. "We always keep saying it after a win or a good result. We'll fully focus on recovery now, and then we go to Bournemouth, and they're hard to beat," Van Dijk added. "We have to be more than ready. We fly back tomorrow. Onto the next. "

Liverpool therefore approach a decisive week with confidence from Marseille yet aware of areas for improvement, especially against low defensive blocks. Securing a top-eight Champions League league-phase finish against Qarabag and lifting Premier League form against Bournemouth would reinforce the progress made during this 13-match unbeaten spell.