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Wayne Rooney has defended his recent comments on Virgil van Dijk following the Liverpool captain’s heated response over the weekend.
Rooney last week criticized Van Dijk’s body language in the Premier League defeat against Brentford and claimed he has lacked leadership this season. In response, the Dutch defender said after Saturday’s 2-0 win over Aston Villa that he felt the negative remarks were “lazy”.
“Well, I didn't hear him last year,” said Van Dijk, when asked about Rooney’s words. “It doesn't hurt me, to be honest, I feel like, just to come back to this particular player, and this obviously a legend, big player of the game - I can say all the only positive things but I feel like that comment, I would say it's a bit of a lazy criticism.
“That's my personal opinion. It's easy to blame the other players, but he knows as well as everyone else we do it together, trying to help each and every one of us to try to get out of this.
"Like I said, last year when things go well you don't hear that at all. It is what it is.
“You have to do that job as well, so it is what it is. It's part and parcel when everyone has an opinion and we have to deal with it.
“And there are no hard feelings, by the way. I don't take it personal whatsoever, but I feel like that.”
Rooney has since responded, insisting he has the utmost respect for Van Dijk, but adding that the Liverpool star hasn’t been up to his usual standards this season.
"Van Dijk, similar to Mo Salah, over the last five years, he's been one of if not the best defender in the world, and last year it was hard to say anything bad because he was that good,” said the ex-Manchester United and Everton star on his BBC podcast.
“I'm sure he'd come out and say he probably hasn't been as best this season if he's honest with himself, and as captain, your job if things aren't going right is to speak to your teammates, call meetings with your teammates."
“And that's really what I was saying as a captain, as a leader, I'm sure he will have been doing that.
“I've got full respect for Virgil van Dijk, I think he's a fantastic player. My job now as a pundit is to give my opinions on what I feel.
“I'm sure if you ask him or you ask Arne Slot, he probably hasn't been as good as he has been over the last few years and that was my comment.”
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