Van Dijk says Liverpool is adapting to Iraola

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Liverpool welcomes the Gunners to Anfield on Monday (AEDT) on the back of five straight wins in all competitions, the most recent of which came in the Carabao Cup against Chelsea on penalties.

The Reds drew their opening two league games under Iraola, but have since won four of their past six, leaving them six points behind Arsenal in the standings.

Their strong start under the Spaniard is largely down to a change in philosophy, with the reintroduction of a high press after the possession-based style seen under Arne Slot, who was dismissed one season after winning the Premier League.

Iraola's tenure faces its toughest test against Mikel Arteta's side, but Van Dijk said Liverpool should not treat the defending champion differently to any other side.

"Against every team it's a challenge because when they know that we want to win the ball high, they try to drag you into difficult spaces, and you have to read the game," he said.

"For example, Hendo [former Liverpool team-mate Jordan Henderson] dropped deep trying to pull one of us out to leave a space behind, so you have to then think about are you going or not? So it’s just reading the game as well.

"But especially here, at the start, you have to go all in and take that risk. If you win the ball high, you see the crowd coming up as well, and it just brings that energy that will help throughout the whole 90 minutes.

"But it's just a trend now that everyone just goes one-v-one, and then you just have to think about what you're going to do.

"Are you going to go direct and play the second ball, or are you going to try to go through them? That's the risk-reward you have to take.

"You have to be able to adapt and that's part of our jobs as well. The manager can obviously put the plan out, but we as players have the responsibility in order to execute and win the game as well, with the help, of course, of the manager and the staff, but we on the pitch are the ones that have the most influence."

Iraola's appointment was to bring back a style of play that was so successful under Jurgen Klopp, although Van Dijk does not see too many similarities.

"I think it's a different era, different times. Under Jurgen, we pressed a lot by shuffling across, we tried to box them to one side, but football has changed," he added.

"So it's different – but what isn't different is the amount of sprints and running and trying to get the ball back as soon as possible.

"Also, we have to be a little bit more direct and that helps again winning the ball high.

"You have to find the right balance because I feel that we can still play through the press, but we can also go direct and at home sometimes you have to.

"You have to try to create this chaos, second balls, battles and that’s what we still are learning."