How the Liverpool team feels about the Trent Alexander-Arnold switch is revealed by Virgil van Dijk. Van Dijk, Virgil

Speaking on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s switch to midfield for Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk

While acknowledging that the new tactical change is still a “work in progress,” Virgil van Dijk claims that Trent Alexander-Arnold’s teammates at Liverpool are embracing his new role.

Over the course of the last three Reds games, Alexander-Arnold has occasionally played more like a midfielder, moving towards the middle of the field when the team has the ball but acting more like a traditional full-back when it doesn’t.

The result has been four assists for the No. 66 in his last three games for Jurgen Klopp’s team, who beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 on Saturday to extend their Premier League winning streak to four games.

Alexander-Arnold had a major impact in the 6-1 thrashing of Leeds United on Monday. He produced two assists, one each for Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez, and completed 124 successful passes, which is a career high.

On Saturday, Alexander-Arnold contributed to a second goal as well, assisting Mohamed Salah in setting up the game-winning goal from a set-piece throw.

Van Dijk said Forest did an excellent job of keeping Alexander-Arnold and the rest of the team’s midfielders in check during open play, but he thinks the team will gain in the long run from the system adjustment if everyone is in sync.

“I think [Forest] did quite well today, they man-marked Trent, Fabinho and the midfielders generally, so it was quite hard to find them without pressure on them, so yes, we have to dictate the play and come across quickly in order to get the ball as well,” Van Dijk stated.

“It’s still under construction, but we all like it. We all need to be able to adapt to different situations, and sometimes Trent has to go lower while other times he needs to go higher.

The manager has mentioned it numerous times: “With the counter-pressing, everyone comes across, makes the pitch as tiny as possible, and we have a huge opportunity to get it back if we lose it. So, we keep working on it. We must act in this way because everyone needs to feel significant in order to feel free.

It’s not only Trent; there has been a little snowball effect. It’s just a matter of identifying the best player or position to move into, and I believe Trent is beginning to do that as well. Everyone can find open areas. Being confident and continuing to work toward the goal is, as I stated, a work in progress.

Neco Williams and Morgan Gibbs-White successfully negated two goals from Diogo Jota before Mohamed Salah’s 27th goal of the year gave Liverpool the victory at Anfield during a tight second half.

With seven games remaining, beginning with West Ham United on Wednesday night at the London Stadium, Liverpool is now nine points outside the top four following Newcastle’s crushing of Tottenham on Sunday.

Van Dijk continued, “If you look at this season, [discussion of the top four] is not something that should be anything to speak about; it’s all about the game at the time, establishing consistency, and obviously trying to win.

“However, we just need to keep going, stay upbeat, and try to enjoy the remaining games. We require everyone for that, but especially everyone nearby for defense.

The fact that we are performing for one of the largest clubs in the world is a major plus, in my opinion. And because everyone wants to win, it goes without saying that you occasionally need to remind yourself of that.

“No one wants to make mistakes or lose, and it’s clear that we’ve been successful in recent years. We just need to find that joy, and I believe I am quite excited and content to be working with my team and achieving great results. Therefore, organizing a run is crucial.

“I think most of the players that have played here [in recent years] have contributed to us winning all the trophies, so that is quite a big thing,” Van Dijk said of Salah, who on Saturday tied Robbie Fowler’s record of 183 goals for Liverpool.

You know, when Mo finishes his career, wherever that may be, I think he will unquestionably be remembered as a legend. He must continue to do this for himself, the football team, and us since he is such an important player.

We appreciate everything he does on a daily basis, but I believe that in the later stages, the outside world will appreciate him much more. We can tell how much effort is being expended. All we have to do is keep playing along and enjoy his game. What then can I say?