Virgil van Dijk's unplanned meeting with Liverpool teammates is warning for Arsenal

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk called an impromptu players-only meeting following their 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United on Sunday and the Reds bounced back

Virgil van Dijk has revealed why he organised the unplanned team meeting that has helped reignite Liverpool's faltering campaign - and it could be bad news for Arsenal. The Reds cruised to a commanding 5-1 Champions League triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany on Wednesday night, having endured four consecutive defeats prior to that encounter.

Arne Slot's squad faced heavy scrutiny following their woeful 2-1 home defeat to Manchester United on Sunday, a result that left them teetering on the edge of their most damaging sequence of results in 72 years.

The team gathered at the AXA Training Centre the next day for their customary analysis session with the coaching team, with Van Dijk also organising an unscheduled players-only discussion to tackle the problems of what has been a challenging season thus far.

The Liverpool captain acknowledged there were several issues he believed required addressing with the revamped squad, reports the Liverpool Echo. "On Monday everyone was sad because we lost to Man United at home," said Van Dijk. "We haven't lost many games at home during my time at Liverpool.

"It was tough under the circumstances so on Monday we came together but it wasn't a crisis meeting. We all know how things can change. We're only in October.

"Obviously we also had a proper debrief with the manager but we also had a separate one as players. I wanted to say some things. It wasn't a crisis meeting. It's not something I do after every game. Let's keep it that way!"

Van Dijk continued: "Nobody wants to lose four games in a row but it was the situation we faced. We had to stay calm and block out all the noise from the outside because that's something you can't control.

"The only way to get out of a situation like that is to stay together, keep your mind on the task ahead, try to improve, keep the confidence, embrace the moment. They are all things that are easier to say than actually do. But if you want to get out of it, you have to do it.

"We live in a world now where there is always noise - always something to be said, always someone who knows better. We have to stay focused on ourselves. Was atmosphere lower than usual? Before my meeting yes, after my meeting everyone was happy!".

The meeting, however, could be bad news for Arsenal. The Gunners are top of the league, three points above closest challengers Manchester City and four ahead of third-place Liverpool. But with the Reds showing signs of recovery, Mikel Arteta's side will be hoping their rivals suffer another setback.

The Reds won the Premier League last season and were tipped to retain their title before their recent woes. Van Dijk's meeting has understandably rejuvenated the squad and next up is a league clash with Brentford this weekend, with Arsenal due to find out whether Liverpool are back to their best or not.