VIRGIL VAN DIJK ordered a clear-the-air meeting at crisis-hit Liverpool in a bid to kick-start their season.
The Kop skipper revealed he called the player summit — which boss Arne Slot did not attend — following the Reds’ 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday, the club’s fourth in a row.
And Van Dijk believes the chat was a factor in Wednesday’s 5-1 thrashing of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
The Dutchman, 34, said: “Was the atmosphere lower than usual? Before my meeting, yes — after, everyone was happy!
“On Monday, everyone was sad because we lost to United at home. We haven’t lost many at home during my time at Liverpool.
“So, on Monday, we came together but it wasn’t a crisis meeting. We’re only in October.
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“The only way to get out of a situation like that is to stay together, keep your mind on the task ahead, keep the confidence, embrace the moment.
“They are all things easier to say than do.
“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.”
Ahead of tomorrow night’s trip to Brentford in the Premier League, VVD added: “We also had a proper debrief with the manager — but I wanted to say some things.
“It’s not something I do after every game. And let’s keep it that way!”
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