Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk fired back at Wayne Rooney after the former striker recently questioned his form. Van Dijk has been a key figure for the Reds for years, but like several senior players, his performances have dipped lately.
Liverpool have endured a poor run this season, losing six of seven games before finally picking up back-to-back victories. Rooney criticised Van Dijk on his BBC podcast, and the two came face-to-face during Amazon Prime Video’s coverage of last night’s match.
What did Van Dijk say to Rooney?
After Liverpool’s 1–0 Champions League win over Real Madrid, Van Dijk said some of the comments directed at him had been excessive. Speaking while standing right beside Rooney, he acknowledged that scrutiny is expected when results are bad.
“As a Liverpool player, if you lose four or five games in a row, criticism is normal,” Van Dijk said. “But sometimes it goes too far. With so many platforms and so many voices, things get exaggerated.
“It helps when former players who’ve been through tough periods themselves offer perspective.”
Rooney’s reply
Rooney responded: “I think my comments were fair. When you win the Premier League and then go on a run of losing three or four games straight—something we haven’t seen from Liverpool in recent years—it’s natural to expect the captain to step up. And Virgil and the team have done that.”
Van Dijk then added: “I always take responsibility. But the suggestion that after signing my new contract I just switched off—that was a bit much. That’s how I see it. Anyway, we move on.”
Van Dijk will be delighted to have answered his critics on the pitch, delivering a strong performance in a crucial victory against one of Europe’s top clubs.
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