Virgil van Dijk sends blunt message to Dutch teammates despite win - 'This can't happen'

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Virgil van Dijk laid into his Netherlands teammates after the 3-2 win over Lithuania, labelling Sunday’s performance as "sloppy" and "just bad."

The Dutch emerged from Kaunas with all three points, but it took a late Memphis Depay strike to secure a difficult victory.

It had started so well for the Netherlands, after it took an early two-goal lead via Depay and Quinten Timber.

But Lithuania, the side ranked 143rd the the world, netted twice before the break, which infuriated Liverpool captain Van Dijk and his international teammates.

I think it's only a great night for Memphis, who is now the number one in the Netherlands with his goals.

“For the rest, a very bad night.

On the two goals the Netherlands conceded, Van Dijk added: “With the first goal, he dribbled past us far too easily, and a foul simply had to be committed

With the second goal, Stefan [de Vrij] was blocked.”

The result leaves the Netherlands on 10 points after four World Cup qualifying matches, the same number as Poland

The Liverpool captain, who also skippers the Netherlands, has missed just two international matches since June 2022 - that’s a run of 37 appearances in the last 39 games.

Thankfully for Liverpool and Arne Slot, the 34-year-old has a week off to prepare for the Reds’ next match at Burnley on Sunday.

Van Dijk has played every minute for Liverpool so far this campaign and faces a run of seven matches in 21 days when club soccer resumes this weekend.