Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk admits he will still 'under the microscope' this season.

The Dutchman bounced back from a serious knee injury to start 51 of 63 matches for Liverpool last term.

And van Dijk is embracing the pressure that has come with his return to form.

"I will still be under the microscope and that's fine," van Dijk told the club's website. "That's something I've created myself.

"But it's definitely a different feeling in this pre-season. Last year, coming back from the injury, so you're trying to ease your way back in. This year, you try to get as fit as possible as quickly as possible.

"The pre-season is quite short; we have a big game obviously next week coming up. But I know myself, I know my body and I know what I have to do in order to be ready for the season – that's what I'm trying to do each and every day."