Van Dijk: The goals we concede from stoppage time hurt

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has said his team's defensive problems "hurt".

Liverpool have conceded 12 goals from set pieces this season, the most in the Premier League, along with Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.

In Saturday's match at Anfield, which Liverpool won 2-1, Santiago Bueno scored for Wolves from a corner, while last week Richarlison found the net after Liverpool failed to clear a break against Tottenham.

"There have been many games where we have defended very well from set pieces, but the fact is that we have conceded too many goals that way and not scored enough," said Van Dijk.

He emphasized that the problem is often not in the first duel, but in the continuation of the action.

"In at least 75 percent of situations, even more, it's not about the first contact. The second phase is deadly," the Dutch defender pointed out.

Liverpool, excluding penalties, have scored just three goals from stoppage time in the championship, with a goal difference of minus nine, which is the club's worst performance in the Premier League by that parameter.

"We conceded too many goals from stoppage time and that hurts. We need to improve, and training is the only way to get better," Van Dijk added.

Liverpool manager Arne Slott admitted that the team has big problems in that segment of the game.

"Unfortunately, we may be the only team that almost never scores from set pieces, and even worse, we constantly concede them," Slot said.