Virgil van Dijk calls for 'one more push' as Liverpool close in on Premier League title ahead of clash with Tottenham
Virgil van Dijk has issued a rallying cry to his team-mates and supporters on the day Liverpool could win their 20th league title.
The Reds captain will be crowned a Premier League champion should his side avoid defeat against Tottenham at Anfield today.
And Van Dijk has asked his team to give one final push after a historic season in which new manager Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp and led Liverpool to the title against the odds. 'One more push,' said the Dutchman. 'One more job to be done. One more big effort needed, from each and every one of us. One more.
'All season long I have been speaking about the need to focus only on the next game, the next challenge. That mindset has been so important for us as we have chased our goals. We deal with what's there in front of us rather than getting carried away with the bigger picture, with the outside noise.
'Sunday, of course, is going to be a little more difficult in that respect. Because while we are still going to be concentrating on the task in front of us, which is a tough game against Tottenham Hotspur, we also know what the day means for everyone associated with the club.
'And, well, it means everything. To win the Premier League is special, however and wherever you do it. But to do it at Anfield, in front of the most incredible supporters in the world? That's something else entirely. It's our dream, it's your dream, and our aim on Sunday is to make sure that dream comes true.
'We can only do that, however, by doing the things that have put us in this position in the first place.'
Meanwhile, tickets to watch Liverpool attempt to win the Premier League title on Sunday afternoon are selling on the black market for up to £3,250 with the club adamant touts will receive serious punishment.
Fans are scrambling for the chance to be there to witness one of most momentous days in the club's history — with some paying extortionate fees.
Resale website LiveFootballTickets is listing seats around the ground with the most expensive one being a staggering £3,248.70 in the Main Stand bottom tier, where face value for an adult ticket is £61. That is 53 times higher than the original price.
Liverpool have invested money and human resources into anti-touting measures over the past 12 months, with 75 lifetime bans and 136 suspensions handed out last season for those breaching ticketing rules.
The vast majority of those bans were handed down for unauthorised selling of season tickets, memberships or hospitality tickets, in breach of terms and conditions.
Plenty of fans have been stung by fake tickets, too, with digital tickets being cloned or faked. Liverpool employ three full-time staffers who oversee touting issues.
The matchday operations team are also on red alert for Liverpool fans buying tickets in the away end — on LiveFootballTickets these are on sale for prices between £447.20 and £1,290.90. Being caught doing so will be treated as an offence and could lead to ejection.
There will be an added police presence on the streets before and after the match with parties expected to go on long into the night if the Reds are confirmed as champions.
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