Virgil van Dijk makes Liverpool's guard of honour stance clear after 'embarrassing' blast

Virgil van Dijk insists Liverpool should receive a guard of honour before every game in their run-in as it is a mark of “respect.” fans booed when , but the tradition is expected to be upheld for the games with , and .

Former striker Peter Crouch even branded the guard of honour for the champions as “highly embarrassing” despite it being a long-held ritual in English football. But van Dijk says Liverpool have earned it and promised to make their victory parade to celebrate the 20th title their “best ever.”

Van Dijk also insisted that the huge battle for the top five and the places below them underline just what an achievement it is for Liverpool to be crowned champions. Liverpool captain van Dijk said: “Of course, it’s about respect and I think it’s well deserved, there’s three more to go.

“Every guard of honour is big, it’s a sign of respect and that’s it, I think. I think that’s how it should be.” When asked about the battle for top five showing just how well they have done, van Dijk added: “Correct. We did a very good job - and that shows.”

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Van Dijk enjoyed a victory parade through the city in 2019 after winning the Champions League but they won the title a year later in Covid times and there could be no such repeat. But van Dijk insists this time will be better than ever and he says they owe it to the fans at Anfield to keep going until the end.

Van Dijk said: “Hopefully it will be even better than what we had after the Champions League final and I already encouraged everyone to wear red in the last game and keep doing that for the rest of the season because everyone saw how amazing it was.

“For so many fans and people that have been going to Anfield for so many years it was one of their best days ever so hopefully the Palace game on May 25th will top that.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Liverpool finish the season strongly, or fall away now the title is won? .

“The parade will be even more crazy than ever and there will be even more people coming from around the to be in Liverpool to come and be with us. I encourage everyone that supports Liverpool all around the world to come and celebrate an amazing year in the that we’ve had. But the day is not there, we still have three games.

“There’s a lot of - how do you call it? - I won’t say dreaming about lifting the title because it will be a reality but I can picture it and it will be a very emotional day.

“My family will be there, my mum, my wife, my kids and until we get there, we must keep focusing on the games ahead of us and try to win the last three games in front of us.”

Van Dijk also says - despite the defeat at Chelsea on Sunday - they will not ease up in the last three games because they would risk getting hurt. He added: “It still feels unreal and it should feel like that, it shouldn’t die down and in my eyes it won’t. Obviously there’s other games now but it’s all building up now to the 25th and you have to enjoy it. You have to soak it all up.

“You have to analyse it, we have to learn from it because we’re winners, we’re all winners and we all want to win big games and not to lose and that’s why we have to give everything.

“To do that we have to be ready, you have to be prepared and give everything otherwise you are taking the risk of getting injured. I want to keep going, there’s three. more games, good games ahead of us and let’s see what it brings.”

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