Overview
- Wayne Rooney said his suggestion that Virgil van Dijk had 'downed tools' after a new contract was unfair, acknowledging he does not know the player personally.
- Rooney reiterated on his BBC podcast that he still believes Van Dijk’s performances this season have fallen below the defender’s usual standards.
- He revealed he was blindsided by Van Dijk’s appearance on Amazon Prime’s broadcast, saying Dominik Szoboszlai had been expected at the interview desk.
- Van Dijk previously dismissed the pundit’s remarks as 'lazy' criticism and said the comments did not hurt him.
- Liverpool manager Arne Slot later backed Van Dijk’s leadership, calling him the clear and vocal leader of the team following a recent form swing that included wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid.