Premier League Hall of Famer Alan Shearer has slammed Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk after their UEFA Champions League loss to PSV. He believes that the Dutchman is a shadow of the player he was and is not leading the group by example.
Speaking to BetFair, Shearer said that Van Dijk's words after the Nottingham Forest loss were concerning, and his performance during the week against PSV made things worse. He added that the Dutchman, along with Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate, have not been performing well this season and said:
"Van Dijk, well you look to your captain to put in big performances, yet Virgil's performances… he looks leggy, slow, puzzled. He's a shadow of the player from last season, as is Konaté. I suppose you can say that about any Liverpool player right now. We're talking about him because he's the captain and voice of the dressing room."
"His words at the weekend were concerning, saying they need to look at themselves, do better, roll up their sleeves, and fight. Well, he's got to lead by example, and at the minute, he's a shadow of himself. You can say the same about Salah, Konaté, and most of the new signings, other than Ekitike, who went off injured. Even then, Slot left him out at the weekend, which I thought was strange. Other than him, there's not a lot of responsibility being shown."
Arne Slot is under pressure this season after losing nine of his last 12 matches in all competitions. Reports suggest that the Dutchman is safe and Liverpool will review his position after the season ends.
Wayne Rooney slammed Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk earlier this month
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney slammed Virgil van Dijk earlier this month, branding him lazy for his performances this season. He claimed that the Liverpool defender was not doing well as a captain and said on his podcast (via ESPN):
"I'm sure he'll come out and tell you, he probably hasn't been at his best this season, if he's honest with himself. And as captain, your job as captain 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. You know, as a captain, as a leader, I'm sure he will have been doing that."
"I've got full respect for Virgil. 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 Arne Slot, he probably hasn't been as good as he has been over the last few years. That was my comment which I stick by."
Liverpool face West Ham United, Sunderland, and Leeds United in the Premier League next, and Jamie Carragher believes the three matches will determine Arne Slot's future at the club.