Virgil van Dijk hopes Liverpool have learned lessons from last season's mistakes as they challenge for four trophies this season.
The 'Q word' has not yet been said on Merseyside, but the Reds qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League with a 2-1 win over Lille on Tuesday evening. Arne Slot's side sit at the top of the new format in Europe and also lead the Premier League with a six-point lead over their nearest rivals.
They are one goal behind Tottenham in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, with an FA Cup trip to Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle coming up next month. It was just 12 months ago that the Reds were also in the hunt for all four trophies after beating Chelsea in the League Cup decider at Wembley.
But they crashed out of the Europa League at the hands of Atalanta in April after Manchester United dumped them out of the FA Cup and their title challenge faltered around the same time.
“I think you have to learn from difficult moments and moments that don't go the way you want,” the club captain said. “Most of the guys in the locker room have now been through last year and that should make you better, make you aware of how to deal with certain situations and circumstances, and you should be better equipped.
'Let's see. At the moment I look at our team and we are very calm, we work hard every day, every match, and we need everyone to be fit, healthy and in shape and that is the goal.
“Going into every game with the mentality that it's one game at a time. That's how it's always been. It's a beautiful ride, I think you should enjoy it too and I will definitely do it.”
Liverpool fans are certainly enjoying the ride under Slot this season, which many expected could be a transitional campaign following the departure of Jurgen Klopp after more than nine years in charge. This weekend marks 12 months since Klopp shocked Liverpool fans by announcing he would be leaving at the end of the season.
The emotion of his lengthy farewell meant there was immense pressure on the Reds to deliver for their outgoing boss. Now, a year later, the start of Slot's term of office could not have gone better.
“At the moment we haven't achieved anything, but we are in a very good place and a place that other teams playing in both competitions want to be and fight for,” Van Dijk said. “But we have to stay calm and “If we have surprised ourselves, I don't know. I have known this team for a few years so there are not many changes; the biggest change is obviously the manager and the staff and how he wants it we play .
“I think we adapted to that pretty quickly. I don't think there have been any major adjustments, but what has changed I think the boys have done brilliantly. That has proven to be the case and we have to keep it up until the end of the season and hopefully we will get the reward for that.”
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