Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has hit back at Wayne Rooney’s claims that the Reds’ recent struggles stem from poor leadership, dismissing the comments as “lazy criticism.”
The Dutch defender responded after Rooney suggested that Van Dijk and forward Mohamed Salah had failed to “really lead” the team during their recent slump.
Liverpool, who won the Premier League title last season under new manager Arne Slot, started the 2025–26 campaign in impressive fashion with five straight wins. However, a run of four consecutive league defeats — the latest coming against Brentford — has dented their title hopes.
According to BBC Sport, Rooney questioned the leadership qualities of Liverpool’s senior stars, saying their body language during the losing streak was a “big concern.”
Speaking after Liverpool’s 3–1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, Van Dijk said he was unbothered by the criticism but felt Rooney’s remarks were unfair.
“I didn’t hear him last year,” Van Dijk said. “It doesn’t hurt me. Just to come back to this particular player, obviously a legend and a big name who inspired so many, I can only say positive things, but I feel that comment is a bit of a lazy criticism.”
The Liverpool captain defended the unity within the squad, insisting that the team’s struggles should not be pinned on individuals.
“It’s easy to blame other players, but he knows we do it together, trying to help each other to get out of this. Last year, when things went well, you didn’t hear that at all. It is what it is,” he added.
Van Dijk acknowledged that pundits have a job to do but said he doesn’t take such comments personally.
“Pundits have to do that job. He has an opinion, and we have to deal with it. There’s no hard feelings. I don’t take it personally.”
Addressing reports that manager Arne Slot is under pressure, Van Dijk expressed confidence that the club would not rush into decisions and that the team remains united.
“I’ve heard the reports about Slot being under pressure, but I don’t think we play at a club that makes rash decisions. We all felt we could work our way out of this. It’s not guaranteed, but we can do it together. As long as we believe, stay humble, and keep working, we can do it — and we all have that feeling,” he said.
The win over Aston Villa lifted Liverpool back into the top four, easing pressure on the team and their manager as they aim to rediscover the form that brought them glory last season.