Captain's Rallying Cry After Etihad Setback
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has issued a defiant message to Premier League title rivals Arsenal and Manchester City, insisting his side are 'not going to give up' on their championship defence despite a humbling 3-0 defeat away at the Etihad Stadium.
The loss, which occurred on Sunday, November 9, 2025, in Pep Guardiola's 1,000th game as a manager, dealt a significant blow to the Reds' hopes of retaining the trophy. The result leaves Liverpool in eighth place, a concerning eight points adrift of the summit as the league pauses for an international break.
Match Analysis: A Day to Forget for the Reds
Arne Slot's team arrived in Manchester with momentum from two previous wins, but were thoroughly outplayed by a dominant City side. The home team's opener came from the in-form Erling Haaland, who scored shortly after having a penalty saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Liverpool believed they had drawn level before half-time when Van Dijk powered in a header, but the goal was controversially disallowed as Andy Robertson was adjudged to be in an offside position and impacting play. Manager Arne Slot was reportedly furious with the decision.
The visitors' fortunes worsened dramatically when Nico Gonzalez doubled City's lead with a long-range strike on the stroke of half-time. After the break, any faint hopes of a Liverpool comeback were extinguished by Jeremy Doku, who capped a superb individual performance with a fine third goal to seal the 3-0 victory.
League Standings and Van Dijk's Verdict
The defeat has major implications for the Premier League table. While Manchester City climb back up to second place, they still trail Arsenal by four points. The Gunners, despite being the standout team this season, dropped two points in a draw against Sunderland the day before.
Speaking after Liverpool's fifth league defeat in just 11 games, Van Dijk was resolute. 'It's about finding consistency and carrying on,' the Dutch defender stated. 'Now we go to our countries, stay fit and be ready for a big run after. We are not going to give up whatsoever. We are in November and we are ready for a long season and a big fight.'
Analysing the performance, Van Dijk admitted the first half was difficult, saying City were 'much more comfortable on the ball' and that it was hard for his teammates to apply pressure. He specifically noted the challenge Conor Bradley faced against the impressive Jeremy Doku.
When pressed on the disallowed goal, the Liverpool skipper was reluctant to be drawn into controversy. 'In football the officials are deciding the key decisions and we have to deal with it on the pitch,' he said. 'There is no point discussing this from my point of view. The reality is that we lost 3-0 and that is a big blow.'
He concluded by shifting the focus to pundits and the media, adding, 'You guys can debate if it should have stood.' With the international break now underway, Van Dijk and his teammates will aim to regroup before what promises to be a critical period in their season.
