On August 26, in the second round of the Premier League, Liverpool easily defeated Brentford 2-0. After the game, Van Dijk stated in an interview that Klopp has become a thing of the past, and he is very happy serving under the new manager, Slot.
Van Dijk compared the two managers: “The time fighting alongside Klopp was wonderful, but serving under Slot is also very enjoyable. He has his own coaching philosophy. We’ve done a lot of thorough work for the games, including how to play with and without the ball, which has also brought confidence to the team.”
Van Dijk stated that Klopp is a thing of the past: “It’s not about forgetting Klopp, but serving him is now a thing of the past. We had many great times together, but now it’s time to strive for honors with the new coach. We need to focus on the current team, rather than comparing who is better.”
Van Dijk expressed his responsibility to help the team achieve success: “So far, we haven’t brought in any new signings. I have an additional responsibility to assist the head coach because I know all the current players inside out. On the first day Slot joined the team, I told him that I would support him and his staff. If we want to succeed, we must work together.”