Virgil van Dijk has sharply responded to Wayne Rooney’s criticism of Liverpool’s leadership this season, calling Rooney’s remarks “lazy criticism.” Rooney, on his show, had questioned the body language and leadership roles of Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah during Liverpool’s recent slump, particularly after the 3-2 loss to Brentford. However, Van Dijk refuted these claims, pointing out that he had not heard such criticisms last year when Liverpool performed well. He emphasized the collective nature of the team’s efforts and insisted that leadership goes beyond visible emotion or gestures on the pitch. Van Dijk also expressed respect for Rooney’s legendary status in football but dismissed the critique as overly simplistic. Following Liverpool’s recent 2-0 win over Aston Villa, which jolted the team back to third place in the Premier League, Van Dijk reaffirmed his focus is on leading by example amid intense public scrutiny. The Dutch defender remains unbothered by the punditry and is committed to helping Liverpool improve results and climb the table✅✅✅