Virgil van Dijk and Wayne Rooney in tense TV meeting after exchanging criticism

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Liverpool lost five out of six games in all competitions and had attracted criticism, with Rooney suggesting star players Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah were not showing enough leadership after signing new contracts earlier this year. ‘Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, they’ve signed new deals but I don’t think they’ve really led that team this season,’ he said on The Wayne Rooney Show before Liverpool’s win over Villa. They are the top two players in that team and if their body language is not right, that affects everyone else. ‘I might be wrong on this, but if I was a Liverpool fan or the manager, that would be a big concern for me.’ Van Dijk took exception to one Rooney comment (Pictures: Getty) Van Dijk hit back, saying: ‘I didn’t hear him last year.

I think I’ve spurred them on and put them on a winning streak.’ He explained his initial comments, saying: ‘When you win the Premier League and then go on a run of losing three or four games on a row, which you don’t expect from Liverpool over the last few years. With you as captain, I think that’s your opportunity to go and lead the players, that’s what I was saying.

I think the response has been great from Virgil and the team.’ Van Dijk showed that Rooney’s analysis had annoyed him, saying: ‘I think if you watch games then I definitely take the responsibility. ‘I think the comment that I signed the new deal and I let it slide, I think that was a bit…but that’s my personal opinion and we move on.’ After Van Dijk returned to the dressing room, Rooney added: ‘What I was trying to say is that we know the standards he’s set. ‘When you win the Premier League the hardest thing then is to go on and do it again. He’ll tell you himself I don’t think he’s been at his best this season but over the last couple of games he’s getting back to that.