Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk issued a forthright assessment of his side’s performance following a frustrating 2–1 defeat at Crystal Palace, levelling pointed criticism at his teammates while simultaneously commending goalkeeper Alisson Becker for preventing a more serious outcome.
The loss, sealed by Eddie Nketiah’s stoppage-time strike, ended Liverpool’s run of invincibility this season and laid bare underlying vulnerabilities that Van Dijk insists must be addressed quickly.
Speaking after the match at Selhurst Park, Van Dijk did not mince words. “I’m disappointed in the loss, but especially the way we went about it,” he said. “It was the basics that we didn’t do very well. Sometimes you can have these days. Hopefully this is the only day this season we do that.”
He emphasized that the failings began with the players themselves: “But it all started with ourselves. We were sloppy in possession, didn’t win our second-ball fight, and we created momentum for them.”
Van Dijk’s verdict was sharp in tone but measured in context. He acknowledged that Palace had been difficult opponents—“very disciplined, they defend deep and they don’t mind that, and they have the quality on the break to hurt you”—but made clear that the standards expected at Liverpool demand better from his own squad.
He went further, noting that even a draw would have felt generous under the circumstances: “I think if we got a draw here then we took already one point too much. That is the feeling that we have right now.”
Yet, in the midst of criticism, Van Dijk reserved praise where he felt it was justified. He described Alisson as “in my opinion, the best goalkeeper in the world” and noted that Liverpool had been lucky to have him between the sticks on a difficult afternoon. “We are lucky that we have, in my opinion, the best goalkeeper in the world to save us,” he said, adding that without Alisson’s intervention, the margin of defeat might have been far greater.
Van Dijk also stressed the importance of emotional composure going forward. “The biggest challenge now is to stay calm. I have mentioned it many times: never get too high or too low. Just work and don’t listen to the outside world too much,” he said.
He underlined that this result, while painful, should not derail the bigger picture: “I don’t think there is any reason to worry, but we have to improve pretty quickly.”
Virgil van Dijk:
“We are lucky that we have, in my opinion, the best goalkeeper in the world to save us.” pic.twitter.com/KmR1Ia6oU2
— Anfield Sector (@AnfieldSector) September 28, 2025
Contextually, the defeat to Palace comes at a moment when Liverpool had seemed well-on course to build momentum across multiple competitions. Having won their opening matches in the Premier League, Champions League, and domestic cup competitions, the Reds entered the fixture confident and unbeaten.
Van Dijk himself has been monitored closely in his second season as captain, following a contract extension in April 2025 that reflected the club’s faith in his leadership.
But this reversal reminded everyone that even dominant sides can become vulnerable when expectations slip. Crystal Palace, under Oliver Glasner, have proven to be a stubborn opponent in recent meetings, blending defensive discipline with sharp transitions. Their long-ball, breakaway style has troubled many teams, and Saturday’s match showed why.
Palace struck early via Ismaïla Sarr and then absorbed pressure, confident in their ability to pounce on mistakes. Late in the game, Liverpool looked likely to grab a point when Federico Chiesa equalized in the 87th minute. But in stoppage time, a critical lapse allowed Nketiah to convert a set play, handing Palace the win.
In the first half especially, Liverpool looked second best—floundering under pressure, losing second balls, and failing to impose their usual tempo. Van Dijk acknowledged that Palace might have been three or four up by half-time without Alisson’s heroics.