In light of the club’s lackluster performances against Luton Town and Toulouse, Virgil van Dijk has urged Liverpool’s forwards to demonstrate greater ruthlessness.

On Sunday, Liverpool host Brentford to Anfield in the wake of a shocking midweek loss to Toulouse. Just days prior, they narrowly escaped with a point at Kenilworth Road against one of the Premier League’s struggling sides.

Despite these results, Liverpool have had a successful start to the 2023–24 season as a result of shrewd purchases made in the summer transfer market. Comparable to Jurgen Klopp, Van Dijk is fervently optimistic regarding Liverpool 2.0’s potential; however, he insists that the team, which is still in the process of establishing itself, possesses considerably more to offer.

In the programme notes preceding Sunday’s match against Brentford, Van Dijk assessed the beginning of the season, stating, “Undoubtedly, there are areas for improvement, both individually and collectively. However, this is to be expected, particularly after experiencing so many changes in the summer.”

Moreover, he asserted, “We have demonstrated that we are all in this together more than anything else.” Although we have encountered difficult situations and games in which victory has eluded us on numerous occasions, we have always succeeded in securing favorable results. There is no doubt that there is room for further development in this regard in the future.

Following a lackluster week away from home, the summer-appointed Liverpool captain redirected his attention to the Reds’ forwards, urging them to exhibit greater ruthlessness.

“It is indisputable that we must be more ruthless in our pursuit of opportunities.” There are specific praiseworthy elements that you would like to maintain, whereas others have not yet achieved the required standard. Consequently, we shall continue to work diligently to incorporate the essential improvements, and exert our maximum effort for the betterment of this club.

Liverpool embark on Sunday’s match aware that, subject to the result of Manchester City’s match, a triumph could potentially equalize their lead with Arsenal in the Premier League, pending the latter’s own outcome.

In juxtaposition to Van Dijk’s appeal for increased ruthlessness from Liverpool’s forwards against Brentford, Klopp urged his squad to demonstrate heightened “aggression” in the wake of their defeat in France over the weekend.

He declared the following after the loss to Toulouse: “We cannot tolerate what occurred in Toulouse. Our degree of belligerence was inadequate. A physical visit from Brentford is imminent at Anfield; consequently, we must be well-prepared. It is my hope that this will provide us with valuable insight. We are capable of suffering a loss in a game. “However, it is imperative that we apply this knowledge effectively by acquiring the appropriate insights.”