'We need togetherness with our fans'
- Published
Virgil van Dijk has insisted that the Liverpool players need togetherness between them and the fans after Arne Slot's side qualified for the Champions League quarter-finals.
Speaking after Liverpool beat Galatasaray 4-0 to set up a last-eight tie with Paris St-Germain, Van Dijk said: "It's a combination of performance and the fans - they play a big part in that. The fans can probably say if we bring that every week on the pitch then there is no issue, and we can say if the fans bring that every three or four days then there is no issue either. So it is about doing it together.
"This season, as players, we take full responsibility for a lot of performances when we have not been good enough. But, there is no point speaking about it right now after we qualified for the last eight because that is still a very good thing."
Van Dijk admitted the players had spoken about bringing more energy to their performances after they were booed off against Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday. Just three days later, Anfield was in full flow as Liverpool knocked out the Turkish champions.
"There was a lot at stake - that was pretty obvious - so we had to show how much we wanted it together with our fans," added Van Dijk.
"I played last week in Istanbul and saw how big an impact their fans had on their performance and it was clear to see our fans played a big part in our performance."
Liverpool travel to face Brighton on Saturday (12:30 GMT) and Van Dijk was adamant, if Wednesday's display can be replicated, they still have a chance of success this season.
"The hardest thing is doing it each and every three or four days. If you do that, you become successful - or there's a big chance you become successful. That's what you strive for. That's what we had last year and that's what we try to reach.
"But you need multiple factors to go your way and not to get carried away. You should enjoy it as you are in the last eight, but there is another game in a few hours and they [Brighton] will be ready to make it as difficult as possible."
