Van Dijk backs Liverpool to compete on multiple fronts

Virgil van Dijk insists Liverpool have a strong enough squad to maintain a challenge for both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Jurgen Klopp's side went top of the English top flight with a 4-0 victory at Bournemouth on Saturday.

But Liverpool will be eliminated from Europe's elite club competition if they fail to get the right winning result against Napoli at Anfield on Tuesday.

Netherlands defender Van Dijk has acknowledged Liverpool will have no one to blame but themselves if they fail to qualify from Champions League Group C, having lost all three of their away games.

Former Manchester United star Gary Neville, now a television pundit, suggested in September that Klopp did not have a squad capable of being competitive both domestically and in Europe, adding Liverpool should consider prioritising the Premier League.

Klopp disagreed with that at the time, and Van Dijk is adamant he and his team-mates will be able to cope with the demands of the knockout stages from February, should they get through.

"We are definitely capable of competing in both competitions. And hopefully that's still going to be the case tomorrow," Van Dijk told reporters on Monday.

Asked what he thought about people suggesting elimination from the Champions League would benefit Liverpool in the Premier League, the centre-back responded: "I don't think they're Liverpool fans.

"We want to compete at the highest level. We are top of the league now, but obviously that could change next week. You never know.

"But the main thing for us is that we want to stay at the highest level and we're going to do everything that's possible to go through.

"It's going to be a tough game, we know it, but I'm very confident."
- 'We were poor' -
==================