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Virgil van Dijk knows Liverpool’s critics will think the world is sinking but he has urged his Reds team-mates to win the biggest prize on offer this season for them - the Premier League title.

Arne Slot’s side lost the Carabao Cup final on Sunday to Newcastle to cap a horror week in which they were also dumped out of the Champions League by PSG on penalties.

Liverpool’s hopes of winning three trophies are over but they are still a whopping 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with nine games to go.

That means a record-equalling 20th league title is within touching distance and captain Van Dijk has called on his team to get over the line as quickly as possible.

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We have to work our ass [off] for it and everyone needs to realise.”

Liverpool’s heartbreak in the cup competitions could be seen as further motivation to ensure there’s no slip ups in the final straight of the Premier League title race.

But Van Dijk said: “Yeah, but for me personally, there shouldn't be extra motivation.

You play for the biggest prize that you work so hard for from the start of the season when no-one expected us to be challenging for, first and foremost, the Premier League, one of the biggest prizes, and then on the side of that all the other trophies.

We have nine games to go and I don't think there's any motivation needed to try to get the job done.

It was very disappointing to be knocked out of the Champions League, like we all saw after the game.

I don't know how much, with quick maths, it is in minutes but if you realise that if you win five games - obviously that's a very difficult job - you're going to be champions of England.
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