Virgil van Dijk has outlined the tactical ideas that Andoni Iraola is implementing at Liverpool, and how the Reds players are starting to get used to what the Spaniard demands

Should Liverpool beat Arsenal this weekend, then a conversation about Andoni Iraola's side potentially being in title contention is inevitable — even though the Reds remain a work in progress.

But perhaps it is best summed up like this: having won its last five games (including a penalty shootout victory over Chelsea), Liverpool is starting to build some momentum, even with so much more potential still to be unlocked.

So far, the likes of Florian Wirtz and Bradley Barcola have been adequate, but they are capable of more. Ryan Gravenberch and Milos Kerkez, meanwhile, are just two others who should have plenty more to offer beyond what they already have.

Up to this point in the season, Liverpool has also been getting used to the tactical demands being introduced by Iraola — and the players' understanding of that is only going to increase.

"The word has been said so many times, 'intensity' — sometimes a bit of chaos — and there is this risk-reward that's going on now as well," Reds captain Virgil van Dijk told reporters ahead of this weekend's clash with Arsenal.

"I think (Iraola) mentioned it in his press conference before that he wants us to control the game by obviously having the ball and finding the right spaces at times.

"So it's still a work in progress, but if you defend with a lot of intensity, you have a big chance to win the ball high. Obviously sometimes that creates some risk, and it could be vulnerable, but we're working on it a lot.

"You see a lot of teams playing one-vs-ones nowadays, so you have to try, and you can try and get through that press by playing out from the back, like Brighton does very well in my opinion, by the way.

"But also you can go over the press with the first or second ball and go from there. You have to find the right balance because I feel that we can still play through the press, but we can also go direct.

"And I think at home, sometimes you have to. You have to try and create this chaos, second balls, battles, and that's what we still are learning."

With more high-intensity running and energy in the final third, the obvious comparison is with Jurgen Klopp's style. Iraola's preferred way of playing was a key reason for firing Arne Slot during the summer, but Van Dijk is not keen to draw parallels with the man the previous Reds boss replaced.

"I think it's a different era and different times, so I think it's difficult to say," the Dutchman insisted. "Under Jurgen, we pressed a lot with shuffling across, so whether it was our full-backs that pressed their full-back, then obviously our center-backs have to come across, the midfield was all the way on one side, the winger was all the way on one side.

"We tried to box them in one side, but football has changed. So it's different, but what isn't different is the amount of sprints and running and trying to get the ball back as soon as possible. And also, we have to be a little bit more direct, and that helps again winning the ball high. We have the players to do so as well.

"Nowadays, a lot of teams, especially in the Premier League, play one-vs-one. So when our goalie has the ball, there's a lot of one-vs-ones and nowadays, they keep a plus-one at the back so then you have to try and find the spare man.

"But it's just a trend now that everyone just goes one-vs-one and then you just have to think about what you're going to do. Are you going to go direct and play the second ball or are you going to try through them? That's the risk-reward you have to take.

"Like I said, there's still so much to improve. I think the manager also said the other day how well we played for 30 minutes against Brighton and that's what we want to do for the whole 90 minutes. We are on the way for how long, like four months now, so hopefully we can keep working on it."

In part, the Liverpool plan is put in place by Iraola and his coaching team. But there is also a responsibility for those on the field to solve problems as they go along.

"A good example was against Villarreal," Van Dijk explained. "Obviously, at half-time, we took Ron (Araujo) off, and put Ryan (Gravenberch) at right-back because their left winger wasn't a left winger — he was a left midfielder. Then five minutes later, their manager put a left winger on, so then Ryan is playing proper right-back.

"Obviously, at times, you have to take a risk in pressing, and I end up with the right midfielder sometimes, and he runs to the other side, so I follow and sometimes you have to do these things in order to win the ball high and be dangerous.

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"You have to be able to adapt and that's part of our jobs as well. The manager can obviously put the plan out but we as players have the responsibility in order to execute and win the game as well, with the help, of course, of the manager and the staff, but we on the pitch are the ones that have the most influence.

"It's (about) reading a game as well, but especially here, at the start, you have to go all in and take that risk. If you win the ball high, you see when the crowd is coming up as well, it just brings that energy that will help throughout the whole 90 minutes. We have to keep going and keep improving."

This weekend, Liverpool hosts Arsenal and will kick off just six points behind, despite a mixed start to the new campaign. After five wins on the spin, Iraola's side has found some momentum.

"I don't see it as a test (of where we're up to) — I see it as an amazing game to play, and I'm really looking forward to it," Van Dijk added.

"We’ve got obviously a short window now up until that game, but I think everyone is looking forward to it and as fans as well, I think it's a great game to be going to. I'm really looking forward to it, but I don't see it as a test — just play the game, enjoy it and work as hard as we can in order to get the three points."