Virgil van Dijk dismisses Wayne Rooney’s claim of poor Liverpool leadership as “lazy” after ending Reds’ four-match losing streak

Virgil van Dijk has rejected Wayne Rooney’s claim that Liverpool’s recent struggles stem from poor leadership, branding the former England striker’s remarks as “a bit of a lazy criticism.”

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Rooney, speaking to BBC Sport on Monday, questioned the influence of Liverpool’s senior players, suggesting that Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah had not “really led that team this season” following a run of four consecutive league defeats.

Liverpool, who began the 2025–26 campaign with five straight wins under Arne Slot, suffered their latest setback against Brentford before recovering with a vital victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on Saturday.

In his response after the match, Virgil van Dijk said he was unfazed by the comments, stressing that unity, not blame, would define the team’s response to adversity.

“I didn’t hear him last year,” the Dutch defender said. “It doesn’t hurt me. Obviously he’s a legend and a big player who inspired so many, but that kind of comment is a bit lazy. It’s easy to blame other players, but he knows we do this together.

“Last year, when things went well, you didn’t hear that at all. It is what it is. 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.”

The Liverpool captain also threw his support behind manager Arne Slot amid reports of pressure following the club’s slump in form.

“I’ve heard the reports about [Slot] being under pressure, but I don’t think we play at a club that makes rash decisions,” Van Dijk added. “We all felt we could work our way out of this. It’s not guaranteed, but as long as we believe, stay humble and keep working, we can do it together.”

Rooney’s comments came after Liverpool’s four-game losing streak saw them drop out of the Premier League title race, despite entering the season as defending champions under Slot’s debut campaign.

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With the win over Villa restoring some momentum, Liverpool and Virgil van Dijk will aim to steady their campaign as they prepare for a crucial stretch of fixtures before the festive period.