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Virgil van Dijk applauds the Liverpool the fans after the Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle United(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Virgil van Dijk has challenged Liverpool to use the pain of a sobering week to fuel their Premier League title charge on the other side of the international break.

And the Reds captain has demanded: "We have to work our a*** off for it."

After losing out on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday night, the Reds saw their hopes of a domestic double under Arne Slot fall by the wayside as they were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle United in Sunday's Carabao Cup final.



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On the same day, Arsenal reduced the gap at the top of the Premier League to 12 points courtesy of a 1-0 win over Chelsea at the Emirates and Van Dijk and his colleagues need 16 points from the final 27 to secure the title in Slot's first season.

READ MORE:'You have to wonder' - National media make Liverpool transfer point after Carabao Cup lossREAD MORE:PSG explain real reason behind Virgil van Dijk talks with Nasser Al-Khelaifi in Liverpool tunnel

Next up for Liverpool is a visit from Everton in the Merseyside derby on April 2 after the international break and their skipper admits it is more difficult to lift the players' spirits when they are all in their respective international camps.

Van Dijk cut a dejected figure as he spoke after Sunday's game at Wembley but issued something of a rallying cry to his team-mates as they now focus all their attention on a second title in five years.

"I don't know exactly what the explanation for that is but it's a disappointing thing," Van Dijk said.

It hurts but from tomorrow that's the life of football player, you can't dwell on things too much, especially in the middle of a season.

"There's obviously moments where you have to be disappointed in this case and I'm definitely but from tomorrow I'll focus on Spain because I've got a quite difficult one on Thursday.

"We have to turn this around.

We play for the Premier League, the most difficult prize to get.

"In my opinion, one of the toughest Premier League seasons there is in the last couple of years, in terms of everyone can win from each other, so it's very difficult.

You have to be confident and enjoy the last nine games."

Van Dijk also highlighted the importance of the squad's leaders in helping retrain the focus on the final nine games now as the Reds aim to get back to winning ways after the most difficult week of Slot's fledgling career on Merseyside so far.

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Van Dijk added: “That's very big, of course.
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