Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has addressed recent criticism leveled at the team, suggesting it has been excessive at times, following their 1-0 Champions League victory over Real Madrid. The win, secured by an Alexis Mac Allister goal, comes after a shaky run of form that saw the Reds suffer six defeats in seven games.
Speaking after the match, Van Dijk acknowledged the criticism but emphasized the importance of perspective. "In a world of chaos, you have to stay calm and try and take the right perspective," he stated. "At times the noise was a lot". He noted that while fair criticism is expected after losing four games in a row, some commentary had been "over the top". "We live in a world where there's so many platforms, so many people can say stuff and it gets picked up and made bigger than what it is," Van Dijk added.
The Dutchman's comments follow a period of intense scrutiny, with pundits and fans alike questioning Liverpool's performances and Van Dijk's own leadership. Notably, former Manchester United player Wayne Rooney had been critical of Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, suggesting they hadn't "really led that team this season". Rooney also pointed to what he perceived as negative body language from the two Liverpool stars.
Van Dijk directly addressed Rooney's criticism in a face-to-face encounter after the Real Madrid game. While acknowledging Rooney's status as a "legend" and "big player," Van Dijk described the comments as "a bit of a lazy criticism". He countered that it's easy to blame individual players, but the team wins and loses together. "It's easy to blame the other players, but he knows we do it together, trying to help each and every one of us to try to get out of this," Van Dijk said. "Last year when things went well, you didn't hear that at all".
Rooney, who was working as a pundit for Amazon Prime, responded to Van Dijk's remarks, stating that his criticism was fair considering Liverpool's high standards. "When you win the Premier League, I think what I said was fair. You don't expect Liverpool to lose four games in a row," Rooney said. He also acknowledged the positive response from Van Dijk and the team.
Despite the recent setbacks, Van Dijk remains focused on the task at hand. He stressed the importance of staying calm and working hard to overcome challenges. "Keep your head down and work and get out of the situation because quality is what we have. That's not the issue," he said. He also acknowledged his role as captain in supporting players who might be affected by external criticism. "As a captain, I'm dealing with players who might be affected by it (the criticism)," Van Dijk explained.
Liverpool will be hoping their victory over Real Madrid marks a turning point in their season as they seek to improve their consistency. Van Dijk's leadership and ability to steer the team through turbulent times will be crucial to their success.
