Virgil van Dijk has moved to defend Arne Slot and Liverpool’s players amid mounting criticism this season, urging perspective and questioning the value of outside “disrespect.”
Speaking candidly, the Liverpool captain addressed frustration directed at Slot following controversial comments, while also highlighting the growing impact of social media on modern footballers.
Van Dijk made it clear that not all criticism deserves attention.
Van Dijk Questions ‘Disrespect’ Narrative
The defender challenged where the criticism is coming from and whether it should carry any weight.
He said: “Who gives him the disrespect? That’s the question. Is the disrespect being given by people that we shouldn’t value their disrespect?”
Van Dijk also extended the point to players, urging focus over noise.
“I can also think about players being disrespected, and who disrespects the players? Is that someone you value, is it a significant show of disrespect or someone you can just let slide and instead just focus on the task ahead to be successful as a Liverpool player?”
Accountability and Performance at Liverpool
The centre-back acknowledged that criticism comes with the territory when results dip, admitting Liverpool have lacked consistency.
“It’s like us players as well – if you don’t perform you get criticism and that’s part and parcel of the game. We have to perform. That’s what we didn’t do on a consistent basis but we speak about that every three or four days unfortunately.”
Why Social Media Is Changing the Game
Van Dijk warned about the increasing mental pressure caused by online reaction, particularly for younger players coming through.
He added: “If you’re going to read all that stuff, one week you could be the hero and the next week the villain.”
“I spoke last week about how worse and more difficult it’s getting every year. Every era has its own challenges and that part of outside the game will be a big challenge for the next generation, and it’s already a challenge for this generation.”
What It Means for Slot and Liverpool
With Liverpool pushing forward through a demanding season, Van Dijk’s comments underline unity inside the squad and support for Slot amid scrutiny. The focus, he stressed, remains on performance rather than outside noise.
