Van Dijk targets Hapoel victory

Southampton must not play for a 0-0 when they face Hapoel Be’er Sheva in their final Europa League group game on Thursday evening, Virgil van Dijk has said.

A goalless draw or a win would see the Saints progress to the knockout stages of the competition if they, while Hapoel Be’er Sheva will reach the last 32 if they win the Group K game at St Mary's.

While either result would do for the Premier League side, Van Dijk believes it is important for the Saints to go out with the intention of winning the game.

"We definitely need to go and try to win the game. I think if you play for a 0-0 it goes the wrong way," he said.

“We need to be focused, we need to show that we want to win the game, and if we play well I think we have a good chance and we will work hard to win the game.”

The Saints have lost just one of the 11 games they have played at home this season and Van Dijk feels their good form at St Mary's will stand to them.

"The away form is something we need to improve, but at home we feel strong, we've been playing well and it's not a good place to come if you're an opponent of us,” he said.

“Thursday is going to be a tough game, but we need to show from the first minute to the last that we want to win the game, we want to go through and as a club that we deserve to go through.”

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