'We need' - Virgil van Dijk on what Liverpool must now do to challenge Man City for Premier League title

Virgil van Dijk took one glance around the dressing room and realised what Liverpool would need if they are to maintain their unexpected Premier League title challenge.

A raft of injuries and the suspension of Alexis Mac Allister meant Jurgen Klopp's nine-strong bench for the visit of Brentford on Sunday included three 20-year-olds and four teenagers, three of whom had never before played in the top flight.

Not that it mattered as an impressive Liverpool performance - helped by another stellar Van Dijk showing at centre-back - secured a 3-0 win and moved them up to second place and just a point behind leaders Manchester City, against whom they resume after the international break at the Etihad on Saturday week.

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The mouthwatering showdown is a reminder of recent times. But are the Reds, who have been the only team to seriously threaten City's domestic dominance in the last six years, really ready to challenge again for the title with a new-look side?

“I hope so," says captain Van Dijk. "I looked in the dressing room (on Sunday) and it felt like we were the under-23s. But still we have the quality, if you are good enough you are old enough. But we need to see, we need a bit of luck, we need no injuries and need consistency.

"Overall this season we have been doing well but the season is not decided in November and there could be so many twists and turns, we all know that. You have all these aspirations, dreams, goals before the season and you want to compete until the very end in every competition we are in. That is definitely the case at the beginning of the season