Virgil van Dijk has waded in on the criticism laid at Liverpool boss Arne Slot this season after calls for the Dutchman to be sacked have arisen following their poor form this season
Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk believes Arne Slot deserves time to turn things around at Liverpool(Image: Sky Sports YouTube)
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Virgil van Dijk has defended the criticism directed at Liverpool boss Arne Slot this season but claimed the Dutchman deserves the chance to turn things around at Anfield.
Slot arrived at Liverpool in 2024 after being appointed as Jurgen Klopp's successor. In his first season, he led the Reds to Premier League glory with 84 points.
However, this season has seen a drop-off for Slot's men, who are currently sixth in the Premier League table. Liverpool have won just 11 of their 24 league games this season and are 14 points behind leaders Arsenal.
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Xabi Alonso's dismissal at Real Madrid in January has only added more speculation around Slot's future. However, Van Dijk has hinted that some of the talk about the Dutchman has reached the point of borderline disrespect.
In his sit-down interview with Sky Sports and Gary Neville, the defender said: “I said it last week and I’ve said it here, criticism, with the season we’re having, is well deserved because of the way we have been playing at times and the way we have been losing games on the bounce.
"That’s just not the standards that we set, especially last year. But you have criticism, and you have disrespect." Asked if the criticism towards Slot was disrespectful, Van Dijk added, “Well, it depends on what you feel. I’ve had the question last week as well. Do I think the disrespect is well-deserved? I feel like I don’t know, because I don’t read it all the time.
Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk has defended Liverpool boss Arne Slot(Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
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"We are in a process of things and I feel like it just takes time. I don’t think Liverpool, from what I know Liverpool as, is a club of making rash decisions and trusting the process.
"But I know how the world works and the pressure that managers are under and [how they] are held accountable and responsible for the results that we are getting. I still feel like it’s a process and he deserves, in my eyes, that respect and chance to make sure this process ends in a positive way. We just have to keep going."
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