Van Dijk Dismisses Rooney’s Leadership Criticism as “Lazy”
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has hit back at Wayne Rooney’s claim that the Reds’ recent poor form is due to a lack of leadership, calling the comment “lazy criticism”.
Liverpool started the 2025–26 Premier League season strongly with five wins, but have since struggled and recently suffered four league defeats in a row, including a 3–1 loss at Brentford.
After that defeat, former England and Manchester United star Rooney suggested that Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah had not shown enough leadership this season.
However, Van Dijk dismissed the remarks after Liverpool ended their losing streak with a win over Aston Villa on Saturday.
“I didn’t hear him last year,” Van Dijk said. “It doesn’t hurt me. He’s a legend and I’ve got respect for him, but I think it’s a bit of a lazy criticism.
“It’s easy to blame players, but we’re all working together to get through this. When things go well, you don’t hear those comments. It is what it is.
“[Pundits] have their jobs to do. He’s got his opinion and that’s fine — I don’t take it personally.”
Rooney Stands by His Words
Speaking on his podcast, Rooney praised Van Dijk as one of the best defenders in the world over the past five years but said he stood by his assessment.
“I’ve got full respect for Virgil — he’s a fantastic player,” Rooney said. “But my job now as a pundit is to give my opinions.
“I’m sure if you asked him or Arne Slot, they’d admit he hasn’t quite been at his best this season. That’s all I meant, and I stick by it.”
Liverpool Focused on Recovery
Liverpool are currently third in the Premier League, seven points behind leaders Arsenal, with two big games coming up — Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, followed by a Premier League clash with Manchester City on Sunday.
Van Dijk also defended manager Arne Slot, who has faced growing media pressure.
“I’ve heard the reports about the manager being under pressure, but this club doesn’t make rash decisions,” he said.
“We believe we can work our way out of this. It’s not guaranteed, but if we stay humble, keep working and believe in each other, we’ll turn it around.”
