Liverpool's determination to reclaim the Premier League title remains strong, according to Virgil van Dijk. Despite a 3-0 defeat by Manchester City, which
left Arne Slot's team eighth in the standings before the international break, Van Dijk insists they are not giving up. This loss marks Liverpool's fourth consecutive away defeat in the league, a streak not seen since April 2012 under Kenny Dalglish.
The Reds have suffered more losses in these four games than in their first 21 away matches under Slot, where they won 13, drew five, and lost three. Currently, Liverpool trails Arsenal by eight points. The Opta supercomputer now estimates their chances of winning the title at just 7%. However, Van Dijk remains optimistic about their prospects this season.
"The reality is that we lost 3-0 and that is a big blow," said Van Dijk. "We are not going to give up whatsoever. We are in November and we are ready for a long season and a big fight. "
Erling Haaland missed an early penalty but later scored the opening goal. Nico Gonzalez added another with a deflected shot off Van Dijk. This match marked only the second time Liverpool trailed by two or more goals at halftime under Slot. Jeremy Doku's impressive goal further distanced Manchester City from Liverpool in the second half.
A pivotal moment occurred when Van Dijk thought he had equalised with a header from Mohamed Salah's corner. However, it was disallowed due to Andy Robertson being offside and obstructing Gianluigi Donnarumma's view. Wayne Rooney disagreed with this decision, stating on BBC Sport's Match of the Day that Robertson did not affect Donnarumma's ability to see the ball.
"I don't think it has affected it all [Robertson impacting Donnarumma], when you look at it," Rooney said. "Robertson is in an offside position but Van Dijk, good movement, really good header and Donnarumma can see the ball, we know he can see the ball the whole way and Robertson is to the side of him. "
Liverpool has faced challenges recently but remains committed to fighting for success this season. Their resilience will be tested as they aim to overcome setbacks and close the gap on league leaders Arsenal.
