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Virgil van Dijk shares honest verdict on Man City collapse as transfer question sparks surprise
Virgil van Dijk says he is relishing the task of nullifying Erling Haaland when Manchester City visit Anfield with Liverpool looking to go 11 points clear in the Premier League on Sunday. And the Reds captain laughed off questions from Spain-based journalists about a summer switch to Real Madrid after Arne Slot's side beat the European champions 2-0 to restore their lead at the top of the Champions League table on Wednesday night.
Van Dijk helped keep the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe quiet on the night as goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo gave the hosts a memorable triumph against a side who were without a defeat in their last eight against the Reds prior to kick-off.
It marked a fifth successive Champions League win in the revamped format this term and Arne Slot's side have now gone over 450 minutes without conceding a goal in Europe, dating back to Christian Pulisic's early opener in the win over AC Milan in September.
READ MORE: Liverpool man on a different level to Jude Bellingham as Real Madrid distraction clear
Next up for the Premier League leaders is a Man City side who are without a win in five games in a sequence that as included four straight defeats before Tuesday's collapse in the 3-3 draw with Feyenoord.
Van Dijk says City cannot be written off due to their quality and recent history that has seen them win an unprecedented four successive titles but the Liverpool skipper is eager to silence top scorer Haaland when the pair resume hostilities.
“For a reason they won [the title] four times in a row," Van Dijk said, "We have to be ready for a very difficult one at the weekend and we will be. Obviously they are not in the best form of their lives, I think injuries play a big part in that.
"We as a team have been in a situation like that with loads of injuries and it is never easy to then find consistency and the confidence. But I know, like everyone else who understands football and has seen Man City over the last few years, they can turn it around at any moment. Hopefully not on Sunday but we have to be at our best to get a result and that's what we are aiming for.
“It is always good to be playing against the best [like Haaland], same as tonight – not only Kylian but Jude was good as well and very difficult to handle at times. At the weekend it will be the same, battles which are nice to see for the neutral.
"I am really looking forward to it and we will start focusing on it from tomorrow morning straight away and try to see how we are going to attack them in the right way to get a result because that's what we want to achieve.
“We should not look at anyone but ourselves. As long as we are consistent, getting points on the board that is all that matters. That is what we are focusing on. I want to make sure we as a team are winning games, finding ways to win the game, working our socks off and staying calm.
"We are going to be in December on Sunday and there are still five months to go. Obviously we want to win the game but we know what they are capable of and first and foremost we have to be ready for that challenge and whatever happens after that we have to keep going and stay calm."
Asked specifically by Spain-based reporters at Anfield on interest in a move to Real Madrid, Van Dijk, whose contract expires next summer, replied: "What a direct question! The guys here (UK-based reporters) are never usually that direct but listen, there's nothing I can say [on my future].
"Real Madrid need defenders do they? They have Rudiger. Can I move in the summer? The only the main focus for me at the moment is Man City, Liverpool. I am fully focused on that and I have nothing else to say regarding my future."
