Van Dijk wants ‘reaction’ not panic

Captain Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool will not panic after their opening-weekend draw at Newcastle but says a “reaction” is needed based on last season’s failings.

The Reds needed an injury-time penalty to secure a point in Andoni Iraola’s first competitive game.

Iraola’s side twice trailed, with the Spaniard cutting a frustrated figure at times as he seeks to improve Liverpool’s fortunes after last season’s fifth-place finish under Arne Slot.

“It’s absolutely normal in any type of profession, work, whatever you do, if you come in new and you have new plans and new ideas, then it takes a bit of time with new players,” said Van Dijk.

“It’s down to us to do it as soon as we can, as soon as possible, because we want to improve, we want to win and we want to be better. That’s what we are going to try to do.

“We need to show a reaction from last year, that we are much better than last year, because this was very unacceptable.

“It’s so early on in the season. I think if we start panicking regardless of what could have happened, then obviously you won’t be in a good place.

“We work on the training ground a lot of hours and have a lot of discussions on the pitch about how we want to do it better, what we want to do and what the manager wants to see.

“Hopefully, next week, it will be very close to what he wants us to do. There were some good things in the game, but obviously also things that we have to improve.”