After winning the Premier League, Liverpool have been struggling to rediscover their form under Arne Slot, but captain Van Dijk denies unrest behind the scenes
Virgil van Dijk has rejected criticism aimed at Liverpool head coach Arne Slot and the squad, insisting claims of internal division are wide of the mark and driven by noise that does not reflect reality inside the club.
Liverpool’s slide to sixth in the Premier League, two points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, has sparked frustration among sections of the fanbase after last season’s title success.
Some criticism has been directed at Slot, but the Liverpool captain made it clear he has little interest in entertaining that narrative.
“Who gives him the disrespect? That’s the question,” Van Dijk said. “Is the disrespect being given by people that we shouldn’t value their disrespect?
“I can also think about players being disrespected and who disrespects the players? Is that someone you value, is it a significant show of disrespect or someone you can just let slide and instead just focus on the task ahead to be successful as a Liverpool player? That’s the responsibility we speak about every three or four days.”
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The centre-back did not attempt to deny that Liverpool’s performances have dipped compared to their championship campaign. Instead, he acknowledged that inconsistency inevitably invites scrutiny, particularly for a reigning champion.
“The matter of fact is we are Premier League champions and we have not been good enough on a consistent basis,” he continued. “That’s just a fact. The criticism comes and that’s something we just have to accept. We just have to keep going.”
Van Dijk insists Liverpool unity remains intact
Despite speculation online, Van Dijk was adamant that there are no fractures behind the scenes under Arne Slot. He dismissed suggestions of tension or loss of togetherness within the group, describing them as disconnected from the daily reality at Liverpool.
“I don’t think there has been any question about [togetherness] internally,” he noted.
“I don’t think there’s any disharmony. There are obviously challenges that happen and everyone is dealing with certain situations in a different way.
“It’s also about dealing with it together and how we are going to fix it and change things around. That’s something that makes you stronger as a team and if you come out of it like we should do – hopefully, as we have the quality – then I think it can only improve you as a team and as a player as well.”