Captain Virgil van Dijk has called on Liverpool to improve defensively after their Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace.
During half-time in Sunday’s Wembley showpiece, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher’s posted on X to highlight the Reds’ attacking threat but defensive vulnerability.
He posted: “LFC looking great going forward but susceptible defensively, as we’ve seen all pre season. A lot of the goals conceded by LFC have come from going man to man really aggressively and leaving space in behind.”
Van Dijk echoed those concerns in his post-match comments after his side’s shootout defeat, stressing the need for collective improvement in the team’s defensive setup.
“We have to be very honest with ourselves,” Van Dijk said to BBC Radio Merseyside.
“Obviously, it is disappointing at the moment because we lost, conceded two goals we could have avoided. I think there were plenty of moments where we looked very good, especially in possession, on the break, and between the lines. But yeah, you stand without the trophy, and that is the main thing that is disappointing today.
“I think it is the collective defensive part that we have to work on. Everyone has the quality, obviously, otherwise you won’t play for Liverpool. The absolute reality is that we all have to improve in terms of our defensive setup in order to not concede goals; it is not only the backline, not only Alisson, but together.
“We all take responsibility, I take responsibility, and that is how it should be. There is a reason we had the most clean sheets in the league last season, and we have to get back to that.”
