Virgil van Dijk seemingly takes a sharp swipe at Arsenal less than a day after their humiliating defeat to Newcastle.

Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk appeared to take a subtle jab at Arsenal following their Carabao Cup semi-final loss to Newcastle.

Arsenal were eliminated after a 4-0 aggregate defeat, with Newcastle securing a 2-0 win at St. James’ Park. Goals from Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon sealed the victory for Eddie Howe’s team, who will face either Liverpool or Tottenham in the final on March 16.

Newcastle utilized defender Fabian Schar in a different role, with the Swiss international covering large areas of the pitch to disrupt Arsenal’s Declan Rice. This strategy contributed to a crucial mistake by Rice, leading to Newcastle’s second goal.

After the match, several Newcastle players referenced the phrase “staying humble,” which Manchester City’s Erling Haaland had previously used toward Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta following a 2-2 draw earlier in the season. The phrase resurfaced after Arsenal’s 5-1 victory over City, with Gunners players mocking Haaland in return.

Ahead of Liverpool’s own semi-final second leg against Spurs—where they trail 1-0—Van Dijk emphasized the importance of “staying humble” in his program notes. He highlighted the need for consistency, hard work, respect for opponents, and maintaining humility to achieve success.

While it’s unclear if Van Dijk was directly targeting Arsenal, fans quickly picked up on the potential dig. Social media users noted the growing trend, with one commenting, “Even Van Dijk is talking about ‘staying humble,’” while another pointed out that he “knows exactly what he’s doing.”