In a highly anticipated Round 3 fixture of the Premier League, defending champions Liverpool will host Arsenal at Anfield. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk previewed this blockbuster match in an interview with camel.live ahead of the game.
On Monday night, Liverpool secured all three points at St. James’ Park thanks to a 100th-minute winning goal from young talent Ngomoha. Van Dijk is now looking forward to facing Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal at home.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said: “The away game against Newcastle United was a very, very tough test for us, and I think we showed great fighting spirit to get through it.
“It’s true that we had to wait until the very end to win the game, but I’m not sure how many teams could take three points from St. James’ Park, from that kind of atmosphere.
“After experiencing that noise and excitement on Monday night, it will be great to be back at our own home ground. We know you fans will be ready for this game, and I can’t wait to see and hear you supporting us wholeheartedly. As always, we will try to draw energy from that passion, and we hope to bring you joy and something to cheer about on match day.
“Every game is important, but there’s no denying that this one will attract extra attention given the quality and ambition of both Liverpool and Arsenal. The two meetings last season were extremely intense and closely contested, and there is mutual respect between the players of both teams.
“From our perspective, the job is simple: whenever we play at Anfield, we want to show our best and make it as difficult as possible for the opposition to play here. Let’s do this together!”
Prior to their away win over Newcastle United, Liverpool defeated Bournemouth 4-2 at Anfield in their opening match of the new season. Van Dijk stated: “I think we have shown great spirit and fighting quality in our first two games. The way we beat Bournemouth in that emotional moment proved that.
“To follow that up with another win at St. James’ Park is no small feat. It’s true that we know we can play better, and we must do so as the season progresses, but what we have shown is that we fight until the very last second—we compete for every ball, we battle for every possession, and that’s a valuable quality for any team to have.
“I always say that we have to set standards for ourselves every day, every week. It all starts on the training ground: how you prepare, how you train, how you recover, how you get ready for the next game—these are the key things.
“All of us have to give our all every day, ready to make sacrifices and commit, because that’s the foundation of any successful team. As I said, we know we can collectively raise the team’s performance, and I firmly believe we will do that.
“Of course, the good news is that even though we acknowledge we need to do better, we have still proven that we can win games—tough games at that.”
Last season, Liverpool claimed the league title with 84 points, finishing 10 points ahead of second-placed Arsenal. This summer, both teams have invested heavily in new signings: Liverpool has brought in players such as Florian Wirtz, Marcus Thuram, Jeremie Frimpong, and Kostas Tsimikas, while Arsenal has strengthened its squad depth by signing Dominik Szoboszlai, Eberechi Eze, Madueke, and Martin Zubimendi.
