Arsenal handed title boost as Virgil van Dijk makes honest Liverpool admission

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk maintains that the desire to win will always trump settling for a draw - as the Premier League champions have demonstrated that taking risks can yield rewards.

Despite this strategy not paying off in their last three Premier League matches, where they conceded goals in the 84th minute or later, the Dutch defender believes it's a sound approach.

For instance, four of their initial five victories this season were clinched with goals netted beyond the 88th-minute. However, after suffering four consecutive losses – a first for the club since 2014 – there might now be an inclination to curb their relentless pursuit of three points.

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Van Dijk's admission, however, will be good news for Arsenal. Mikel Arteta's Premier League leaders are three points above second-placed Manchester City and four ahead of Liverpool - and they'll be hoping the reigning champions continue to drop points.

"We are a team who do not try to keep the draw, especially at home," Van Dijk stated following Manchester United star Harry Maguire's 84th-minute winner, which came just six minutes after Cody Gakpo had equalised for the home side.

"We want to try to go for the win. We had the momentum to go for the 2-1 after the equaliser and when you have that feeling you just go for it."

When questioned if this could change given the current circumstances, the Netherlands international responded: "That's something you have to ask the boss. It is easy to say as we've just lost.

"I want to win the game. Hopefully we will be on the other side of it, like we have been in the past. We've never played for a draw – maybe we have but I can't remember it."

After stringing together seven consecutive wins from the start of the season, four straight defeats have abruptly halted that momentum.

The situation has caused a certain level of anxiety amongst both players and supporters, but Van Dijk remains confident that the reigning champions will recover.

"I think everyone maybe felt a bit like that. You can understand it, coming back after the international break after three losses on the bounce everyone wants to see a good performance, including ourselves," he added.

"It's been a while... not in my time we've been losing four in a row. We've been through difficult times in different circumstances and it is always a challenge but it is one we have to deal with.

"We have to take responsibility and the most important thing is to stick together, stay confident and keep working on the things we need to improve because there are loads of things at the moment we need to improve and try to find consistency.

"You can't hide, you have to keep going. You have to get a win and Wednesday (in the Champions League against Eintracht Frankfurt) is another opportunity."