Virgil van Dijk believes Liverpool’s strong start to their Champions League campaign underscores the “sacrifice” Arne Slot’s squad will need to make throughout this season.
The Reds made a triumphant return to Europe’s top competition with a commanding 3-1 victory against AC Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday night.
Slot made two changes to the lineup following Saturday’s surprise Premier League defeat at home to Nottingham Forest, introducing Cody Gakpo and Kostas Tsimikas for their first starts of the season.
Both players made significant contributions, with Gakpo assisting Dominik Szoboszlai’s third goal and Tsimikas delivering the corner from which Van Dijk headed in the opening goal.
Virgil van Dijk said: “It sounds very easy, but for consistency you have to stay fit and do everything in your power to be ready for the next game whether you start or not.
“You have to be part of winning the games.
“We need all the guys to be ready.
“The guys on the bench might be disappointed.
“Today we made two changes in (leaving out) (Andy) Robertson and Luis Diaz and obviously they want to play in these games, but we need everyone in the best shape of their life.
“That’s key in order to be successful, there will be rotation and we need everyone to keep pushing.
“If you want to be successful, you have to make that sacrifice.”
“I’m very happy to be standing here after my 50th Champions League appearance with a goal and a win after a difficult start,” he added.
“It was very disappointing at the weekend in so many ways, especially the last part of the game it was very frustrating to witness and be part of.
“But we had a chance to put it right and I think we did.
“It was a shaky start, it started on the (left) side, everywhere we were late and they capitalised on it.
“But after that the way we stayed calm, kept playing, kept looking for the solution, it was very good to see.
“The way we worked after the start was outstanding.”
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