Virgil van Dijk known as out Wayne Rooney’s “excessive” criticism of him stay on air after Liverpool’s 1-0 win towards Actual Madrid on Tuesday.
The Liverpool captain spoke to match broadcasters Amazon Prime after the match, taking questions from pundits, together with Rooney.
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Final month on the , the previous Manchester United striker of Van Dijk and Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah after a run of 4 consecutive Premier League defeats.
Van Dijk responded by accusing Rooney of , earlier than Rooney then doubled down on his feedback.
On Tuesday they got here face-to-face for the primary time for the reason that feedback, leading to barely awkward encounter.
Here is the way it unfolded:
Van Dijk approached the Amazon Prime workforce pitchside and greeted all of the pundits – together with Rooney – earlier than standing subsequent to the previous England striker.
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The interview started with presenter Gabby Logan asking Van Dijk to evaluate the win earlier than Logan then addressed the poor run the Reds had been on, and the way vital a workforce assembly after the 2-1 loss to Manchester United on 19 October had been to enhancing type.
Van Dijk: “It’s simple to say now as a result of we received twice in a row that it helped fairly effectively however in a world of chaos it’s important to attempt to keep calm and take perspective of issues. In that assembly the time was October, a lot soccer to be performed, so many twists and turns that may occur and I feel at instances the noise was loads (stated with a small smile on his face).”
Logan: “You anyone spherical right here particularly?”
Van Dijk: “No, no not all however pay attention I feel it is extremely vital to place issues in perspective, hold your head down and work and get out the scenario as a result of the standard we’ve, that isn’t the difficulty. It’s about hold working and hold going.”
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Robbie Fowler: “Does the skin noise have an effect on you or are you simply completely happy plodding alongside, doing what you’ll want to do and attempt to put individuals proper?”
Van Dijk: “I feel all of you realize right here you’re coping with a squad of 25 gamers, numerous younger gamers and a few older gamers like myself and everybody lives a special life. I can say for me personally it would not have an effect on me however as a captain I’m coping with gamers who could also be affected about it.”
Logan: “Has a few of the criticism been honest, do you assume?”
Van Dijk: “In fact, when you lose 4 or 5 video games in a row as a Liverpool participant then it’s a honest criticism, that’s completely regular in that sense. However I feel it’s excessive at instances as effectively at that time, however that’s as a result of we stay in a world with so many platforms and so many individuals can say stuff, it will likely be picked up and made larger. I feel it’s good that ex-players who performed on the highest degree who handled troublesome moments as effectively places loads in perspective (stated with a smile as Rooney laughs).”
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Rooney: “I’m not saying something any extra as a result of I feel I spurred them on and put them on a profitable streak!
“I feel what I’ve stated was honest while you win the Premier League after which go on a run the place you lose three or 4 video games in a row, which you do not anticipate from Liverpool over the previous few years.
“As Virgil is captain I feel that’s your alternative to go and lead the gamers and that’s what I used to be saying. That occurs in soccer and I feel the response has been nice from Virgil and the workforce.”
Van Dijk: “I feel when you watched video games then I’d positively take duty. I feel the remark that I signed my new deal after which it was like ‘that’s it’ and I let it slide, I feel that was a bit… however that is my private opinion and we transfer on.”
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As soon as the interview was full, Van Dijk embraced Rooney and the remainder of the Amazon Prime workforce earlier than leaving the set.