Virgil van Dijk urged his Liverpool team-mates to get the job done and seal their spot in the last 16 of the Champions League after breezing past Marseille on Wednesday. 

The Reds produced an emphatic display at the Stade Velodrome, with Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo's strikes coming either side of an own goal from Geronimo Rulli. 

Indeed, Liverpool remain unbeaten in each of their last 13 matches in all competitions (W7 D6), the longest ongoing streak of any team from Europe’s top five leagues.

Since the start of last term, no team has won more away games in the league phase of UEFA's flagship competition than Liverpool (P8 W6 L2), level with Arsenal (P8 W6 D1 L1).

Liverpool's latest triumph has moved them up to fourth in the 36-team standings and onto 15 points, with Azerbaijani side Qarabag their final league-phase opponents next week. 

"It's very important as you miss the play-offs, and it helps with the intense programme that we're having. It's all down to us again next week, at home," Van Dijk said.

"Let's make sure we're in the top eight. We've put ourselves in a good position, but that's for next week."

Van Dijk, though, was also keen to focus on Liverpool's upcoming clash with Bournemouth in the Premier League, having drawn their last four games in the competition. 

"We always keep saying it after a win or a good result. We'll fully focus on recovery now, and then we go to Bournemouth, and they're hard to beat," Van Dijk added.

"We have to be more than ready. We fly back tomorrow. Onto the next."

Liverpool boss Arne Slot echoed the sentiments of his captain in regard to finishing in the top eight, saying it was key to avoid extra games due to their injury list.

"People can see what a squad we have," Slot added.

"We have three players out with injuries, and we already don't have the size of squad that our competitors have, so it's important we don't play these games."

Ahead of kick-off, Slot expected goals to return to the squad with Mohamed Salah back involved after missing the last month, as he represented Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations. 

Though not on the scoresheet, Salah, who made his 88th appearance in major European competition for Liverpool, moving level with Ian Callaghan, helped play a starring role in the Reds registering an expected goals (xG) total of 1.49 from their 11 shots. 

"It could have been a tricky place to go, and it is because of their fans, but also because of their players and manager. We had to be very good today, and we were," Slot said.

"We should have done better on the counter-attack. We were very positive on the ball.

"We scored three and everyone will be more positive than when we create five chances but score one. In the last 13 games unbeaten, we've only been behind for 54 minutes.

"We had many earlier chances to win it today. Today, we probably deserve what we got. We weren't unlucky, like we've been so many times this season.

"I know why we're not consistent and that is mainly done when a game is open. It is completely different from playing against a low block.

"You cannot compare that with the game tonight, when both teams wanted to press and play out from the back. If we're inconsistent, it's because we struggle with low blocks."