Virgil van Dijk has admitted that Liverpool have only themselves to blame after failing to secure a win against arch-rivals Manchester United, denting their Premier League title aspirations.

Despite the opportunity to widen the gap over Arsenal at the top of the table, Liverpool stumbled during their clash with a struggling United side still finding their rhythm under new manager Ruben Amorim. The match ended in a 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday, leaving the Reds frustrated by missed opportunities.

United's Rasmus Højlund and Harry Maguire squandered golden chances in both halves, while Liverpool’s inability to control the game ultimately cost them.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Van Dijk offered a candid assessment of his team’s shortcomings:

"It could have been much worse if we’re being completely honest. They had a big chance towards the end that could have made the situation worse than it already is. Of course, I’m disappointed we dropped points at home, but we have to accept it, move on, and learn from this."

The Dutch defender highlighted the team’s failure to manage the game effectively:

"After we found the 2-1, it was about controlling the game, keeping possession for longer than three or four passes. Unfortunately, we lost the ball too easily, leaving us more exposed than we should have been. We're not perfect—we’re still learning and must take lessons from this performance."

Van Dijk was adamant that Liverpool had not underestimated their opponents, despite Manchester United’s struggles this season, which have seen them languishing in 13th place.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot echoed similar sentiments during his post-match interview with Match of the Day. He discussed United’s defensive approach and praised their quality during the latter stages of the match:

"No, I don’t think underestimating them had anything to do with it. United dropped into a low block, making it difficult to break them down. They have quality both with and without the ball, which makes them a challenging side to face."

Slot went on to analyse the game dynamics:

"For the first 75 minutes, [André] Onana played long balls, and every free-kick they took was launched forward. In the final 15 minutes, they started playing more through the ground, and you could see how good they are when they play that way."

The draw leaves Liverpool reflecting on missed opportunities and searching for answers as they look to maintain their title challenge in the face of mounting pressure.