"I didn’t hear him last year" - Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk calls out Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney for 'lazy' criticism of club

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has hit back at Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney’s criticism of him and Mohamed Salah, claiming that suggestions the Reds have lacked leadership this season are ‘lazy.’

After Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat to Brentford, Rooney questioned the body language of Van Dijk and Salah. He suggested that the club’s dip in form was linked to the pair signing lucrative new contracts at the end of last season.

Liverpool returned to winning ways following a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday. Speaking after the game, Van Dijk was asked about Rooney’s remarks, to which he said:

“I didn’t hear him last year. No, it doesn't hurt me to be honest. 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. That's my personal opinion.

“It's easy to blame the other players but he knows obviously as well as everyone else we do it together trying to help each and every one of us to try to get out of this and, like I said as well, last year when things go well you don't hear that at all. It is what it is. [Pundits] have to do that job as well, so it is what it is. He has an opinion and we have to deal with it. And there’s no hard feelings, by the way. I don’t take it personally whatsoever.”

What did Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney say about Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah?

Liverpool’s defeat to Brentford in their last away Premier League match saw them lose four consecutive league games and fall outside the top four. After the match, Rooney singled out Van Dijk and Salah for criticism and said on his BBC podcast:

“Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, they’ve signed new deals but I don’t think they’ve really led that team this season. I think body language tells you a lot, and I think we’re seeing slightly different body language from the two of them. They are the top two players in that team and if their body language is not right, that affects everyone else.”

Prior to that, Rooney slammed Arne Slot’s decision to play a midfielder at right back and a right back as a right winger, insisting that Ruben Amorim would be 'slaughtered' if he tried something similar at Manchester United.