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Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk gave contrasting statements after Liverpool lost 3-0 to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Goals from Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez, and Jeremy Doku handed City a comfortable victory, but Liverpool was controversially denied a goal in the first half. Virgil van Dijk headed Liverpool level after 39 minutes, following Haaland's early strike.
However, the officials claimed that Andy Robertson obstructed the view of City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma while standing in an offside position. Slot was furious after the game and slammed the decision, while Van Dijk was eager to move on and not dwell on the past.
Moments after Van Dijk's goal was ruled out, the Liverpool captain sarcastically clapped referee Chris Kavanagh and protested the decision. Slot also fumed on the sideline, stunned that Liverpool had been denied a route back into the game.
After the game, Slot continued his protests and claimed that the officials clearly made the wrong call. "I think it's obvious and clear that the wrong decision was made on the disallowed goal," Slot said.
Van Dijk had every right to feel the same way, but instead chose not to discuss the incident. While clearly frustrated, Van Dijk didn't see the point in debating a moment from the game that cannot be changed.
"In football, the officials are deciding the key decisions and we have to deal with it on the pitch," he told Sky Sports. "There is no point discussing this from my point of view.
"The reality is that we lost 3-0, and that is a big blow. It doesn't matter what I say [about the goal] because anything I say will be in the media, and the whole international break will be about my comment on the decision.
"I just focus on the fact we lost. You guys can debate if it should have stood. The first half was difficult, and they were much more comfortable on the ball, and it was difficult for our guys to put pressure on them.
"I don't think there was a lot of danger, but Doku had a good game and it was difficult for Conor [Bradley] in the one on one at times. I don't think we were much in trouble, but we could have done better.
"We had to dig deep in the second half. We got more momentum in possession but out pressing wasn't good enough.
"It's about finding consistency and carrying on. Now we go to our countries, stay fit, and be ready for a big run after.
"We are not going to give up whatsoever. We are in November, and we are ready for a long season and a big fight."
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