Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk dismisses Wayne Rooney’s criticism of his leadership as ‘lazy’ following the team’s much-needed Premier League victory over Aston Villa.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has delivered a measured yet firm rebuke to former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney, describing his recent comments questioning the Anfield club’s senior leadership as “lazy criticism,” according to ESPN.
Rooney had publicly named Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah as two senior players who had failed to lead the team during a run of inconsistent results. Following Liverpool’s crucial victory over Aston Villa, Van Dijk addressed the pundit’s remarks directly.
The Dutch defender acknowledged Rooney as a “legend” but dismissed the substance of his argument, suggesting that focusing blame on senior players is the easy route for critics during difficult periods.
Van Dijk also highlighted the quick turnaround in narrative, pointing out that last season, when the team was successful, the same criticism was nowhere to be found. He insisted that the responsibility for performance is shared collectively by the entire squad.
The captain also stressed that while he knows his position means he and the manager will always face scrutiny when results falter, the external noise does not distract the team.
Quote to Keep Intact: “Just to come back to this particular player, obviously a legend, a big player of the game who inspired so many, I can say only positive things but I feel that comment is just I would say it’s a bit of a lazy criticism.”