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Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk has revealed how he and his teammates have been responding to the ‘bad week’ vs PSG and Newcastle United

The Reds remain firm favorites to secure their 20th league title, holding a commanding 12-point lead over Arsenal.

Yet, recent performances have exposed vulnerabilities: a Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain and a Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle United preceded the international break, casting a shadow over their relentless league form.

Everton, meanwhile, arrive unbeaten in nine Premier League matches (D6, W3) – their longest such run since 2016–17.

Though languishing in 15th, Moyes’ side has shown remarkable grit, rescuing late points against Brentford and West Ham through center-back Jake O’Brien.

Their 2-2 draw with Liverpool in February, sealed by James Tarkowski’s volley at 97:07 (the second-latest goal conceded by Liverpool in Premier League history), has epitomized their newfound resilience

Writing in his programme notes, the Reds skipper once again issued a rallying cry ahead of the derby, urging the Anfield faithful to voice their full support on Wednesday night:

“We know what is at stake over the next nine games.

We know the position we are in, and we also know the things that have put us there,” he wrote.

“All season long, I have been talking about focus, humility, hard work, togetherness and full commitment, and those are the things, along with our quality, which will get us to where we want to be.

“You guys can play your part too.

I’ve said previously that we want Anfield to be absolutely on fire every time we play between now and the end of the season, and I’d like to repeat that request here,” the 33-year-old said.

“We have five home games remaining, starting on Wednesday night, and our wish is that every single one of our opponents feels the power of this stadium.

Let’s have the place bouncing, from first whistle to last.”

The Dutchman then explained how he is under no illusions about how big the challenge will be against the Toffees, and also openly admitted that he and his teammates will try to bounce back after an undeniable ‘bad week’ against Newcastle United and PSG:

“We know what to expect from Everton.

We only have to go back a few weeks to see that.”

“The game at Goodison Park in February was really tough and ended in disappointment for us with that late equaliser, but we know we can play better than we did that night, and with you guys roaring us on, that will be the aim.

“It’s been a long time since we played a league fixture, and after the disappointments of the Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle games, we are all keen to get back out there and put a few wrongs right,” Van Dijk explained.

“We had a bad week, we can’t deny that, but now we are all fully focused on what’s in front of us.

“Nine huge games, starting with a Merseyside derby under the lights at Anfield?
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