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Virgil van Dijk insists he is ‘not worried’ by Liverpool’s defensive issues.

The Premier League champions’ backline shortcomings were laid bare in Sunday’s Community Shield defeat against Crystal Palace at Wembley.

Twice Arne Slot’s side led in the traditional season curtain-raiser before being pegged back and subsequently losing to the Eagles in a penalty shootout.

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Van Dijk’s return to the Reds’ line-up came six days after he was laid low for last Monday’s friendly double-header with Athletic Bilbao due to illness.

And the Liverpool captain, who conceded the penalty for Palace’s first equaliser, is optimistic that the recent backline problems will be tightened up.

“If it was that simple, I would have told you immediately and we would have fixed it,” said Van Dijk.

“But it’s a combination.

You defend as a team, you press as a team.

“I don’t know how many chances we give away [against Palace], but I think there’s still maybe a handful in total.

“But the fact is that we conceded every game, apart from Stoke.

That’s something we have to work on.

“I’m not worried whatsoever, because there’s also a reason why we’re very defensively good last year.

“We have to get back to it.”