Virgil van Dijk says Liverpool do not deserve to win Premier League amid Arsenal pressure

Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk has conceded that the Reds don't merit Premier League glory this season, criticising the team's performance and attitude as they saw their title aspirations crumble.

The Dutch defender reflected on a season that once promised so much, with Liverpool in the hunt for an extraordinary quadruple just weeks ago. However, following their Champions League exit and a devastating 2-0 defeat to Everton in the Merseyside derby, their chances have been severely dented, with Arsenal left as the only likely challenger to champions Manchester City.

Jurgen Klopp's side, already slipping behind in the title race, now face the prospect of ending the campaign with only the Carabao Cup in hand. Van Dijk didn't mince words when he spoke about the team's lacklustre display at Goodison Park, highlighting a fundamental shortfall in determination.

"Games like these, the bare minimum is fight. We were lacking that at so many moments in games," the centre-back stated. "If you play like we did, obviously even if we create two or three clear-cut chances again, you don't deserve to win the league."

Van Dijk pointed out the team's failures in crucial aspects of their game during the decisive phase of the season, including finishing chances, defending as a unit, and demonstrating the necessary combativeness.

"It's crunch time and we've not been good enough in the way we finished the chances off, in the way we defended together and also the fight. I think we have to show much more.

"But we have to look in the mirror and each and every one of us has to think like... 'Listen, you can't accept this. You can't accept the way we let our season end'."

READ MORE: How Arsenal can complete 22-year Premier League title dream vs Man Utd in historical repeat

READ MORE: Arne Slot to Liverpool could deal Mikel Arteta Arsenal hammer blow amid Premier League title race

As the season draws to a close, it appears that fatigue and a lack of sharpness have taken their toll on Klopp's men, who have traditionally been known for their lethal precision.

The same can't be said for Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta's men sending a statement to their title rivals with a thumping win over Chelsea on Tuesday night. That opened up the gap over Manchester City to four points, though the champions could close that to a single point with a win over Brighton on Thursday night.