Liverpool Captain Van Dijk Rejects Rooney's Leadership Criticism Amid Team Slump

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has strongly rejected criticism from former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who accused Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah of lacking leadership during Liverpool's recent poor form. Rooney highlighted a perceived decline in their body language and influence on the pitch, suggesting it negatively impacted the team. Van Dijk dismissed these claims as "lazy criticism," noting such concerns were not raised during Liverpool's successful title-winning campaign last season. He emphasized that leadership is a collective effort and criticized the tendency to single out senior players when results falter. Despite the criticism, Van Dijk remains focused on leading by example and supporting his teammates, especially after Liverpool's recent 2-0 win over Aston Villa, which ended a run of poor results. He also expressed respect for Rooney but insisted the former player's comments are part of the punditry landscape and do not personally affect him or the team's unity.