Liverpool Need to 'Switch Back On' After Europa League Flop, Says Van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk has demanded an immediate reaction from Liverpool after a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta - AFP
Virgil van Dijk has demanded an immediate reaction from Liverpool after a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta - AFP
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Liverpool Need to 'Switch Back On' After Europa League Flop, Says Van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk has demanded an immediate reaction from Liverpool after a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta - AFP
Virgil van Dijk has demanded an immediate reaction from Liverpool after a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta - AFP

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said the Reds must react immediately to a Europa League humbling by Atalanta if they are to keep alive their hopes of winning the Premier League in Jurgen Klopp's final season.

Klopp's men were beaten at Anfield for the first time in 14 months on Thursday as a 3-0 victory put Atalanta on the brink of the Europa League semi-finals.

Liverpool are second in a tight three-way battle for the Premier League title, behind leaders Arsenal only on goal difference with seven games to go.

They have less than 72 hours to recover before hosting Crystal Palace on Sunday and can ill afford any slip up against the Eagles.

"It hurts, we didn't lose here for a long time," said Van Dijk, AFP reported. "They punished us for being sloppy in possession.

"This will definitely hurt tonight and then from tomorrow we need to switch it back on to get a result."

Gianluca Scamacca scored twice either side of half-time before Mario Pasalic rounded off a famous night for the Italians, who have only ever reached one previous European semi-final.

"It's a collective thing and we all know we have to do much better," added Van Dijk.

"It hurts but it can't put us down. We have to react pretty quickly."

Klopp admitted the performance of a number of his players came as a shock.

The German had made six changes from the side that drew 2-2 at Manchester United on Sunday.

But even the introduction of Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai, Andy Robertson, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota failed to turn things around in the second half.

"We have to show a reaction immediately on Sunday - that is much more important," said Klopp.

"In this moment it has to feel really bad, the boys must go home and sleep bad that's how it is.

"Then when we meet tomorrow we have to prepare for Crystal Palace, see who is ready to play, these kind of things.

"A lot of performances tonight were really 'oops I didn't know he could play like that'."



Frustrated Djokovic Says Players Kept in Dark over High-profile Doping Cases

Tennis - Exhibition - Juan Martin del Potro v Novak Djokovic - Estadio Mary Teran de Weiss, Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 1, 2024 Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during an exhibition match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo
Tennis - Exhibition - Juan Martin del Potro v Novak Djokovic - Estadio Mary Teran de Weiss, Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 1, 2024 Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during an exhibition match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo
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Frustrated Djokovic Says Players Kept in Dark over High-profile Doping Cases

Tennis - Exhibition - Juan Martin del Potro v Novak Djokovic - Estadio Mary Teran de Weiss, Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 1, 2024 Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during an exhibition match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo
Tennis - Exhibition - Juan Martin del Potro v Novak Djokovic - Estadio Mary Teran de Weiss, Buenos Aires, Argentina - December 1, 2024 Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during an exhibition match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo

Novak Djokovic expressed his frustration at being "kept in the dark" about world number one Jannik Sinner's doping case, saying in Brisbane on Sunday that it was not a good look for tennis.

Anti-doping authorities said in August Sinner twice tested positive in March for the anabolic androgenic steroid clostebol and was cleared of wrongdoing by an independent tribunal that accepted his explanation of unintentional contamination.

The 23-year-old Italian faces a potential ban of up to two years after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed that decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Reuters reported.

"It's not a good image and not a good look for our sport," Djokovic told reporters ahead of the Brisbane International.

"You don't want to see that. I believe that in the last 20-plus years that I've been playing on the professional tour that we've been one of the cleanest sports. I'll keep believing in that clean sport.

"I'm just questioning the way the system works, really, and why certain players are not treated the same as other players."

Sinner's was not the only recent high-profile case in the sport as world number two Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month ban that ended on Dec. 4 after a positive test for trimetazidine, which she said was due to contamination of her sleep medication.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency maintains that all doping cases are dealt with based on facts and evidence and not a player's name, ranking or nationality, but has not been able to fend off allegations of double standards.

"The issue is the inconsistency and the transparency. We've been kept in the dark with Jannik's case," Djokovic added.

"I'm not questioning whether he took the banned substance intentionally or not. I believe in a clean sport, I believe that the player will do everything possible to be playing fair.

"I've known Jannik since he was very young. He doesn't strike me as somebody who would do such a thing. But I've been really frustrated as (have) most of the other players to see that we've been kept in the dark for five months."

Outspoken Australian Nick Kyrgios said the cases involving Sinner and Swiatek were "disgusting" for the sport and slammed authorities over what he saw as lenient treatment.