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VIRGIL VAN DIJK DEMANDS TOTAL FOCUS AHEAD OF BRUTAL ARSENAL AWAY CLASH

Virgil van Dijk demands a "battle" mindset as Liverpool travel to Arsenal. Analyse the Reds' tactics after their draw with Fulham.

Virgil van Dijk Demands Total Focus Ahead of Brutal Arsenal Away Clash
Van Dijk Issues Defiant Arsenal Warning

Virgil van Dijk isn’t sugarcoating it—he wants Liverpool ready for a real battle when they head to Arsenal on Thursday. The Reds’ captain says this is exactly the kind of match that should get everyone fired up, especially with their unbeaten streak on the line.

Sunday’s draw at Fulham still stings a bit. Harrison Reed pulled off a last-minute screamer to tie it at 2-2, just after Cody Gakpo’s goal looked like it had wrapped up the win for Liverpool. That result makes two straight draws in 2026.

Now, Liverpool faces the team everyone’s chasing—Arsenal. Mikel Arteta’s squad is six points clear of Manchester City and a big fourteen points ahead of Liverpool, who hold third, three points above Chelsea.

Van Dijk isn’t letting the setback at Fulham drag them down. He wants the squad in the right mindset for the trip to the Emirates. “We’ll shake this off, and from Tuesday we’ll start focusing on what Arsenal does well. They’ve got quality all over the pitch—starting and off the bench,” he said.

He knows the challenge ahead. “They haven’t lost at home this season, in any competition. That makes it a great test, and we need to be up for it. I can’t wait, honestly. Everyone should be looking forward to games like this. It’s another big chance for us.”

As it stands, Liverpool sits three points ahead of Chelsea, who managed a late draw against Manchester City thanks to Enzo Fernández. Van Dijk sees the Fulham result as proof that the Premier League is tougher than ever.

“The second half was good. We did everything we could to win and really pushed hard. Playing here is never easy, and yeah, it’s disappointing to concede a goal like that at the end. But that’s football,” he said.

“That’s the Premier League for you. Every game’s a grind. Fulham has made it tough for a lot of teams this season—today was no different.

“We found our urgency in the second half, got ourselves back into it, but then lost it in the final seconds. That hurts.”

He admits it’s easy to focus on the negatives after a result like this, but he wants the team looking ahead. “You have to find the positives and take them into the next match. That’s just how it is.

“Honestly, if you look at the squad, Gakpo had to fill in up front, and we had five midfielders behind him. That’s the reality right now. But we keep fighting. We keep moving. Arsenal’s up next.”

ANFIELD EXIT SIGNS: WHY SALAH’S FOREST FRUSTRATION SUGGESTS HIS LIVERPOOL CHAPTER IS FINALLY CLOSING

Anfield tension: Discover why Mohamed Salah was subbed for Rio Ngumoha and how his 9-game drought threatens Liverpool's top four.

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Liverpool legend hits lowest point after dismal display against Nottingham Forest

Mohamed Salah just hasn’t looked like himself this season at Liverpool. Against Nottingham Forest, you could see his frustration all over his face.

Not long ago, things seemed to be turning around for him. Salah had started scoring again. In his last five games, he picked up four assists and a goal. It looked like maybe he was back.

But in the Forest game, Liverpool actually looked sharper after Salah went off and Rio Ngumoha came on. Ngumoha brought so much energy that he changed the whole vibe of the attack. Salah clearly wasn’t happy about getting subbed, even though it was the right call from Arne Slot.

Let’s be honest, who looks pleased when they get taken off? It always kicks off a load of speculation, with people watching for every tiny sign that something’s wrong, over-analysing every shrug or frown. But really, Salah just looked disappointed in his own performance and in the fact that Liverpool were still level with Forest. It probably wasn’t just about getting hooked.

Still, even with Salah’s recent improvement, it feels like his time at Anfield is winding down. It’s rare for a player to leave on a high note. The rumours about MLS and Saudi Arabia aren’t going away, and you get the sense he won’t be any different.

On BBC Five Live, Clinton Morrison didn’t hold back. He said if Salah and Liverpool keep playing like this, forget about the Champions League. “There are still some big problems there, aren’t there?” he told Rick Edwards. “Salah didn’t look happy again.”

Edwards agreed, saying, “If Liverpool play like that for the rest of the season, they’re not getting Champions League. And Salah didn’t look happy again, did he?”

Morrison pointed out how lively Ngumoha was when he came on, setting up a disallowed goal and sparking the team. “Salah didn’t do any of that at all,” he said.

Edwards pressed on, “I think there’s still a big issue there, isn’t there?”

Morrison agreed. “Yeah, well, he hasn’t scored in nine Premier League matches now. It’s his longest run without a goal. I don’t think things are harmonious behind the scenes between him and Arne Slot. We saw hints of it before Christmas, with that ‘throw me under the bus’ comment and then the apology. He looked grumpy about being subbed, but if you’re playing badly, you’re going to get subbed. That’s just how it goes.”

WHY BAYERN BELIEVE LIVERPOOL ALREADY SECURED A PERSONAL DEAL WITH YAN DIOMANDE

Football news: Diomande to Liverpool. Get the report on Leipzig’s price tag and Bayern’s secret plan for Gakpo.

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Leipzig set a massive valuation on Diomande as Premier League giants circle

Bayern Munich think Yan Diomande already has a deal lined up with Liverpool for a summer move to Anfield, at least according to recent reports.

Liverpool wants Diomand,e too. They see him as the perfect long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah. Their manager, Arne Slot, and sporting director, Richard Hughes, are both on board with the idea. Fraser Fletcher from TEAMtalk broke the news back in December 2025, and he’s usually reliable.

But it won’t be cheap. Sources say RB Leipzig want at least €100 million for Diomande. The 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger only joined Leipzig from Leganes last summer, so they’re not in a rush to sell.

Bayern are definitely interested, but word out of Munich is they’re convinced Liverpool already have something agreed with the player. That info comes from Bayern Space, a well-followed and respected account on X. They’ve got 32,500 followers, and even journalists like Lewis Steele from The Daily Mail trust their updates.

Here’s where things get interesting. Bayern Space doubled down on their Diomande claims, but they also say Bayern have turned their attention to Cody Gakpo as Plan B for the left wing. Apparently, some inside the club believe Gakpo could really thrive in the Bundesliga, similar to what Luis Díaz has done. And now, some of Bayern’s board members are starting to think the Premier League club with a personal agreement for Diomande has to be Liverpool. They don’t have concrete proof, just a strong feeling based on what they’re hearing from people close to Gakpo’s camp.

The irony? If Bayern spend up to £65 million to sign Gakpo from Liverpool, they’d basically be handing Liverpool the money to buy Diomande, the very player who turned them down in the first place. That’s how quickly things can flip at the top of the transfer market. Some people at Bayern say they’d be fine with it if Gakpo delivers right away on the pitch.

But what are Liverpool’s plans for Gakpo? That’s still up for debate. Bayern Space is adamant Bayern want him, but Pete O’Rourke from Football Insider says the German club aren’t planning to go after the Dutch forward.

O’Rourke thinks Liverpool could sell Gakpo this summer, but he’s not convinced Bayern will be the buyers. He points out that last summer, Bayern had to choose between Gakpo and Díaz for the left wing; they went with Díaz, and it’s worked out great. Díaz has settled in quickly and become a key player for Vincent Kompany’s team, basically locking down that left side.

Gakpo’s versatile; he can play anywhere up front, so you can see why Bayern would keep tabs on him. But O’Rourke doesn't think he’s a top priority for them at the moment. And Liverpool aren’t desperate to sell either, especially since they’re a bit short on left-sided attackers.

If Liverpool do sign another left winger this summer, maybe that could open the door for Gakpo to leave. But he’s under contract until 2030, and, by all accounts, he’s happy at Liverpool even if he gets some criticism from fans for his performances. Arne Slot clearly rates him, since he keeps giving him game time.

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