Match'Keep giving everything we can' - Virgil van Dijk's Leicester programme notes

The Reds take on the Foxes in an 8pm GMT Premier League clash at Anfield this evening – read what the captain says ahead of the game below.

“Our final Anfield game of 2024 is here, but before I look back on the year as a whole, I would first like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas,” writes Van Dijk.

“I have said before that I love this time of year, and I know my teammates feel the same too. It is a busy time for us footballers, of course, but to have the chance to celebrate with friends and family is very important, and I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday and are ready to help push us towards three points against Leicester City.

“I feel it is important to reflect upon a year which has given us so many memories, as well as a lot of positivity to take into 2025.

“We all know that we are blessed to play for this football club, and we also know the standards that need to be upheld each and every day. Trophies are what Liverpool will always be about, and when I look back on this year, I will always remember the feeling we had when we beat Chelsea to lift the Carabao Cup at Wembley in February.

“The circumstances of that game, plus the fact that it was my first final as Liverpool captain, made it extra-special. I will never forget the way our fans celebrated that day, and though the season didn’t finish exactly the way we wanted it to, we can still look back on it with real fondness, with that Wembley win and the return of Champions League football to Anfield.

“Memories like that are priceless. Of course, we experienced a lot of change within the club this year, with the departure of Jürgen Klopp and his coaching staff, and the arrival of Arne Slot and his team.

“That was obviously a big thing for us, especially those of us who have been here for a number of years and have shared so many highs and lows, and there were certainly a few emotional moments as we said our goodbyes at the end of last season.

“Life goes on, however, and so does football, and we are all really enjoying the new era under the new head coach. The way we have started this season has been extremely pleasing.

“To be where we are, doing well in both the Premier League and Champions League and with another Carabao Cup semi-final to look forward to in the New Year, is testament both to the work put in by Arne and his staff over the last few months, the quality of the squad we have assembled and the mentality and culture which was created under Jürgen.

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“We know that there is still a long way to go in the season, of course, and we certainly won’t be taking anything for granted, but we know that we have given ourselves a platform from which to build.

“The task now is very simple; keep working hard, keep showing up every single day and keep giving everything we can. If we stay humble and stick to those principles, we can definitely make 2025 another memorable year for this amazing club.”