Virgil Van Dijk: No signs of ‘discord’ in Liverpool locker room
Virgil van Dijk has emphasized that there is no “disharmony” within the Liverpool locker room and noted that criticism on social media will pose a “significant challenge” for the upcoming generation of players.
This season has been tumultuous for Liverpool, who are currently positioned sixth in the Premier League standings. The Reds went five league matches without a win prior to Saturday’s 4-1 triumph over Newcastle United, with head coach Arne Slot facing considerable external scrutiny in recent weeks.
“It’s similar for us players — if you don’t perform, you face criticism, and that’s an inherent part of the game,” Van Dijk stated. “We need to deliver. That’s something we haven’t achieved consistently, but we discuss it every three or four days, unfortunately.
“Saturday showcased a strong performance, as did the midweek match [against Qarabag]. Now, it’s up to us to focus this week on Man City and replicate that effort.”
When asked if Slot merits more respect given his title win last season, Van Dijk responded: “Who is showing him disrespect? That’s the question. Is the disrespect coming from individuals whose opinions we shouldn’t regard?”
“I can also consider players who are disrespected, and who is disrespecting them? Is that someone whose opinion matters, or is it a trivial display of disrespect that we can overlook while concentrating on our responsibilities as Liverpool players? That’s the accountability we discuss every three or four days.”
“If you’re going to engage with all that content [on social media], one week you might be the hero, and the next week the villain. I mentioned last week how [much] more challenging it becomes each year. For the next generation, it will be a considerable challenge.
“Every era presents its own difficulties, and that aspect outside the game will be a major challenge for the next generation, and it’s already a challenge for this current group.”
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Van Dijk continued: “The reality is we are Premier League champions, yet we have not performed well enough consistently. That is simply a fact. Criticism arises, and that is something we must accept. We just need to keep pushing forward.
“I don’t believe there has been any question regarding [togetherness] internally. I don’t think there is any disharmony. There are certainly challenges that arise, and everyone is managing certain situations in their own way.
“It’s also about addressing these issues collectively and determining how we will resolve them and turn things around.
“That’s what strengthens you as a team, and if we emerge from it as we should, given our quality, then I believe it can only enhance us as a team and as individual players as well.”
