The 2025/26 Premier League season will enter its 12th round of competition, with Liverpool hosting Nottingham Forest at Anfield. Facing a packed schedule ahead, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk hopes his players will seize the opportunity to showcase the team's strength and consistency.

After a 0-3 away defeat to Manchester City in the last round of the Premier League, Liverpool are currently 8th in the standings with 18 points, 8 points behind Arsenal in first place.

After the match against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool will host PSV Eindhoven in the next round of the Champions League, a crucial match that Sloot's team cannot afford to lose points in.

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said in an interview, "Just look at the upcoming schedule and you'll know how important the games in the next few weeks and months are. From now until March next year, we'll be playing a game almost every three to four days, which means we have to be highly focused and committed, and be ready to recover quickly and get back into the game quickly."

"But this also means we have a great opportunity to demonstrate real consistency, to consistently deliver good performances and results, and to make substantial progress in both domestic and European competitions, which is exactly what we are aiming for."

Furthermore, Nottingham Forest, now managed by new manager Dyche, currently sits in 19th place with 9 points, having defeated Leeds United 3-1 in their last match. Dyche's team will also be highly ambitious in their pursuit of points to escape the relegation zone.

Van Dijk said, "Nottingham Forest will come here with great motivation, and they will do everything they can to cause us trouble. They beat us at Anfield last season. Although the manager was different then, we know their strength, so we must be fully committed from the first minute."

"We went into the recent international break with mixed feelings. We were disappointed with the way we lost to Manchester City, but before that we had important victories against Aston Villa and Real Madrid. Those victories were hard-won but fully deserved."

In addition, Van Dijk said, "Anfield will always be a special place for us, and I think in the games against Aston Villa and Real Madrid, we showed the heights that can be reached when the players and fans work together. The atmosphere in those two games was incredible, and I hope to feel the same atmosphere again in the next game."

“We know what the next few months will bring, but right now our focus must be solely on the next game. We are fighting for victory, for the three points, and then moving on.”