Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk will once again be a main figure under Arne Slot as the Reds welcome Chelsea to Anfield.
Slot wants Liverpool to be defensively sound against Chelsea, who currently sit sixth in the table under Enzo Maresca.
Liverpool occupy top spot under Slot, with the Reds winning six of their seven Premier League matches so far, losing the other.
Van Dijk is leading by example in training, with the centre-back having really impressed on the pitch so far this season.
Very worryingly, his contract at Anfield will expire next summer, with an extension yet to be announced by the club.
Virgil van Dijk makes Enzo Maresca claim ahead of Liverpool vs Chelsea
For the time being, however, he is focused on continuing his side’s strong start to the season, with Van Dijk previewing the Chelsea clash in the official matchday programme: “I have been impressed by Chelsea’s progress this season.
“I said a few weeks ago, after our win at Wolverhampton Wanderers, that they have gone under the radar a little bit within the media, but we will certainly not be underestimating them.
“A lot has been made about the number of changes they have made as a club during the past couple of seasons, but one thing that is absolutely certain is that they have a squad which is full of very good footballers, players who can cause problems for any team.
“They also have a manager who has a clear idea of how he wants his team to play, and who looks like he is starting to get the best out of the talent at his disposal. That means, then, that we will need to be fully focused and prepared to fight from the first whistle for the points.
“We have had some good days and nights against Chelsea in recent years, but that counts for nothing this weekend. We need to be ready, and we need to be somewhere near our best if we are to get the result we want.”
Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate form solid partnership under Arne Slot
Liverpool have impressed in various areas under Slot, with Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah leading the way in the final third.
The likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have shone in midfield, while Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have impressed at the back.
Anfield captain Van Dijk already boasts five clean sheets in the league this season, with Slot having clearly worked on defensive rigidity in training.
The Netherlands defender has formed a superb partnership with Konate, with the manager needing to take plenty of credit for that scenario.
He started the season with Van Dijk and Jarell Quansah centrally, but the latter has since been replaced by Konate, who has taken his game to a new level under Slot.
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