Virgil van Dijk has branded Wayne Rooney's criticism of him and Mohamed Salah this season as 'lazy', hitting out at 'ridiculous takes' during Liverpool's recent poor run. Rooney, speaking on his BBC podcast, had questioned the leadership and body language of the Liverpool captain and Salah during a spell where the club lost six times in seven games between late September and late October.
Van Dijk, responding to the former Manchester United and England striker, said: 'I didn't hear him last year. It doesn't hurt me. I feel that comment is just a bit of a lazy criticism. It's easy to blame the older players but he knows as well as everyone else that we do it together.' The 34-year-old acknowledged that some criticism can affect teammates, adding: 'There is a lot of noise that you have no control over... Some of those takes are absolutely ridiculous.'
The Liverpool captain emphasised the importance of sticking together during difficult moments, saying he tries to help his teammates perform at their best. Liverpool ended their losing run with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, in which Salah scored his 250th goal for the club. Van Dijk noted how opinions have shifted since the poor form began, stating: 'Last year we didn't hear anything about this... this year when things are not going as well as we want, then we're not doing our job properly.'
