Liverpool are just a point behind the champions after 12 matches and will go to Manchester full of confidence after a thumping win over Brentford on Sunday. And captain Van Dijk says there is still so much to play for, with the Reds still competing on four fronts.

Virgil van Dijk believes Liverpool’s young squad has the quality to mount a title challenge

Asked if Liverpool are capable of stopping City’s monopoly on the Premier League after three straight titles, Van Dijk said: ‘I hope so. Today I looked in the dressing room and it felt like we were the Under 23s. But still we have the quality, if you are good enough you are old enough.

‘But we need to see, we need a bit of luck, we need no injuries and need consistency. Overall this season we have been doing well but the season is not decided in November and there could be so many twists and turns, we all know that. We focus on the game ahead of us.’

Liverpool had several missing players on Sunday with Alexis Mac Allister suspended and injuries to Andy Robertson, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic.

Liverpool claimed an impressive 3-0 victory against Brentford at Anfield last time out

It meant they had to fill their substitutes’ bench with many youngsters, such as James McConnell who made his league debut late in the game. But Van Dijk said it was a good response to a dismal week that saw them draw at Luton and lose in Toulouse.

‘Obviously we needed to show a reaction and we wanted to show a reaction. Over two games you don’t have a great feeling but it is small margins,’ added the Dutchman ‘We score one chance and it’s totally different.

‘The draw (against Luton), a very bad game in France and we had to deal with a lot of injuries but I thought we did very well and put in a good performance.

‘The injuries we have got over the last couple of days means using players who are not used to playing every three or four days. It was difficult for a lot of them so now some players will have time to recover and be ready for a very challenging next month. You couldn’t ask for more.’

Liverpool face the daunting task of taking on the Premier League champions Manchester City at the Etihad when club action resumes after the international break

On the City clash, Van Dijk said: ‘It’s a very big game, obviously. It’s always tough over there, especially coming back from all different countries.

‘It’s exactly the same for them, although they have the advantage of playing at home.  We have to be ready for it. It will be an interesting one.

‘You have all these aspirations, dreams, goals before the season and you want to compete until the very end in every competition we are in. That is definitely the case at the beginning of the season and then you grow into a season. It’s November and there is still so much to play for.

‘It’s going well, but if we had not got a result against Brentford we would have been in that downward spiral – from the outside world of course – because you don’t set it up nicely for the game after the international break. But we finished on a positive feeling.’