Virgil van Dijk has urged Liverpool to stay grounded despite being the Premier League’s frontrunners, while admitting the team was “poor in all aspects” during their 3-3 draw with Newcastle on Wednesday night.

The Reds currently hold a seven-point lead heading into Saturday’s crucial Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park, a venue where they suffered a costly defeat last season that effectively ended their title hopes.

Reflecting on the draw at St. James’ Park, the Liverpool captain admitted the team failed to execute the fundamentals. “It was a poor first half as a collective, both with and without the ball,” Van Dijk said. “In the second half, we showed what we’re capable of—winning battles, 50-50 challenges, being better on the ball, and scoring. But unfortunately, we couldn’t get over the line to win.”

When asked what went wrong, Van Dijk pointed to Liverpool’s lack of intensity. “Challenges,” he explained. “We know Newcastle bring extra energy at home. The fans feed off their effort in winning challenges, and we didn’t match that. We were sloppy in possession and lost momentum too easily.”

Despite the improvement in the second half, Van Dijk stressed the need for consistency as Liverpool prepare to face Everton. He also played down speculation about his contract, which expires next summer, offering a simple “Nothing” when asked about talks of a renewal.

The Dutch defender acknowledged that ups and downs are inevitable this season and emphasized the importance of weathering the challenges ahead. Responding to suggestions that last season’s loss to Everton ended their title pursuit, Van Dijk reacted with surprise, saying, “Who said that? Wow.”