Virgil van Dijk makes 'horrible' demand of Liverpool fans ahead of title run-in - as he admits team-mates could be feeling 'anxious'

Virgil van Dijk has urged Liverpool fans to help make Anfield a 'horrible' cauldron of noise to galvanise their title run-in.

The Reds will play seven of their final 11 games at home and as such Anfield will have to be a fortress to see them over the line.

Their next three fixtures against Newcastle, Southampton, and Everton are all at home.

Van Dijk has admitted that the 'mentality monsters', as Jurgen Klopp dubbed them, are not immune to 'anxious feelings' and will need all the backing they can get.

'I mentioned it after that [Wolves] game, that obviously it's pretty normal to be like that,' he said.

'It is a human [reaction] that there could be some anxious feelings kicking in, and that could still be the case.

Virgil van Dijk has urged Liverpool fans to help make Anfield a 'horrible' place for teams to go

The Reds will play seven of their final 11 games in the Premier League at home to chase the title

Van Dijk admitted he and his team-mates are not immune to 'anxious feelings' in this period

'But I think it only helps us and them [the supporters] as well to make Anfield horrible for the opponent. Most of the time we have been doing that, and obviously the way we play helps with that as well.

'How many home games are left? Seven out of 11. So let's make sure those seven are going to be amazing, as loud as possible. I don't think we have to speak about it because normally that is the case. So let's go, enjoy, focus on Wednesday now, and then we'll see what happens after.

'This was a big win. I told the guys, 'Don't take these wins for granted, but when you go home, recover and be ready for the preparation for Newcastle'. That's the only thing we have to do. Tunnel vision. Nothing else matters really.

'And we need our fans to be in great shape on Wednesday as well.'

Van Dijk embraced Alisson at full time after the 2-0 win at Manchester City in what was interpreted as a gesture of relief and acknowledgement that they are closing in on glory.

There are few better ways to announce your title credentials than beating the reigning champions home and away, and having an 11-point gap on your nearest challengers isn't a bad strategy either.

It is entirely possible that Arsenal will have to give Arne Slot's men a guard of honour when they visit Anfield on May 10 in the third-from-last game of the league season.

That would be the second time in recent years that Arsenal would have done so, having also provided a guard of honour back in 2020 at the Emirates Stadium.

Arne Slot has insisted the title is not won despite widespread declarations that the race is over

Liverpool fans chanted 'we're going to win the league' after their 2-0 victory over Man City

Reds fans were chanting 'we're going to win the league' at full time at the Etihad Stadium after Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai had sealed the three points.

All the same, Slot played down the symbolic significance of the result and encouraged a tunnel vision for the challenges ahead.

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'The fans can sing whatever they want, but we know how hard we have to play for every single win,' Slot said. 'So I don't believe that [the title is won]. It's so hard to judge the league table before every game has been played.

'If you play against City at the Etihad and win, it is always a big win, but three days ago we had a draw at Aston Villa and people told me we weren't in a good place. Then three days later we win and it changes again.

'We know how hard it was to beat Wolves last week and we have Newcastle next after a 3-3 draw at Newcastle, so every game is difficult.

'In any other league, this lead would be comfortable, but not this one. Even the [FA Cup] game at Plymouth showed us that.'