Overview
- Wayne Rooney reiterated that Virgil van Dijk has not been at his best this season, saying the captain should demand more from teammates and stand by his comments.
- Virgil van Dijk dismissed Rooney’s remarks as a “lazy criticism,” said he holds no hard feelings, and urged Liverpool to shut out external “noise.”
- Liverpool ended a run of six losses in seven matches with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Anfield, featuring goals from Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch.
- The win included Liverpool’s first clean sheet since September 14, with Van Dijk anchoring a defense that has struggled during the recent slide.
- Van Dijk has played every minute of Liverpool’s ten league games this season and signed a contract extension in April that runs through 2027.