Virgil van Dijk challenges Liverpool teammates as big Arne Slot decision looms

Virgil van Dijk is hopeful that Liverpool can finish this season strongly before embarking on another important summer in which key men Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson will depart

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk during the Premier League game against Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium(Image: Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

It is amazing how much the mood can shift with just one victory. By scoring the winner against Everton, Virgil van Dijk lifted the feeling around Liverpool and established the Reds inside the Champions League spots.

With five games remaining, there is more work to be done by Arne Slot's side. After that, another big summer awaits, in which some more movement in the transfer market will be required, and more changes will be made to the roster.

"You have to ask the question to the guys higher up," Van Dijk told reporters when he was asked about a potential reset at the conclusion of the campaign. "The leadership boys are falling apart — in terms of players leaving — so players have to step up.

"[We'll] see what the guys making the decisions are going to do but I’m pretty sure everyone has the right intentions to make us, as a club, competitive and hopefully not have a season like we’re having this season again.

"Players have to step up. You grow into that role, or you already have it in you; that is something players have to show even more next season.

"After the World Cup, in pre-season, it will be an interesting development in terms of how the manager sees it as well. Then we have to tackle the season in the best way possible and not have a season like we have had this season again."

Van Dijk scored the winner on Sunday(Image: Getty Images)

This summer, as Van Dijk says, Liverpool will lose some major players in the locker room. Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, two key parts of the leadership group, are set to depart.

After the win over Everton, though, Ibrahima Konate confirmed that an agreement regarding a new contract is close, and Dominik Szoboszlai made clear that he wants to stay, even though there has been no progress on an extension for him just yet.

"Vice-captain? I don’t want to say, but I definitely have my opinion and I always share my opinion," Van Dijk said. "The focus is now on finishing the season in the best way possible; the poor season we are having.

"[The Everton win] was a good start. Five more games and the focus on what’s next and that’s the World Cup and then focus on a good holiday — because that’s needed — and then focus on pre-season and making next season successful."

Liverpool's late victory at the Hill Dickinson Stadium was an important one in terms of it being a derby, but also in firming up its place in the Champions League spots.

Since then, Chelsea has dropped more points, losing to Brighton, allowing the Seagulls to emerge as the closest contender for fifth place, now five points behind Liverpool.

"I think you come to the decisive period now," Van Dijk added. "If it is slipping away, you are playing against very difficult opponents and you can get knocked out — not that that is the Liverpool standard I’m used to or we should be used to, not at all.

"It’s definitely not the standards that I expect and envision myself being a Liverpool player — just to qualify for the Champions League. But the reality is we are playing five more games after this and we have to try to get qualification for the Champions League done."