After Liverpool were eliminated from the FA Cup by Man City, comments made by Virgil van Dijk about his team’s performance were met with widespread criticism.
Before we fully delete those 90 minutes from our collective memory, it’s worth looking again at what the captain was saying after the final whistle. He suggested Liverpool gave up when the margin became too wide to realistically overcome.
Steve Nicol claims Van Dijk is spent, and now two Man United legends — Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt — have had their say, with the latter going in on the Dutchman despite his status as a Premier League great.
Would any Liverpool players realistically get into PSG’s starting XI?
Surely we've got no chance against them 😣
PSG players celebrate after scoring during the Ligue 1 match against Toulouse at the Parc des Princes (Credit: Getty Images/Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images
Giving away a penalty and lacking his usual composure, Van Dijk was singled out by Liverpool fans as one of the worst performers at the weekend.
As the man wearing the armband, Van Dijk has fronted up to the media more than most this season. He is generally quite honest and self-critical, but this was different.
He said after the game: “You shouldn’t give up and that’s maybe, at a certain point, what happened.”
It’s not a good look for a team already under the microscope, but it is what happened on the pitch. Butt thinks the excuse is a poor one.
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
He told Scholes on The Good, The Bad & The Football: “I think that, from your captain is, it’s horrendous.
Virgil van Dijk greets Arne Slot after Liverpool's FA Cup match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
“It is horrendous and I love van Dijk. I think he is like, he and Rio are like, the way they play, obviously you got Vidic and John Terry and Steve Bruce, those kinds of players. But the modern-day footballers, centre backs like a Rio and a Van Dijk, they were phenomenal.
“But your captain, your leader, your captain, say what you want in the changing rooms to each other. Go at each other as much as you want. Close the doors. But to come out and say it on TV, I think, if you’re in Liverpool, what do you mean you give up?”
The former United midfielder has a valid point here. That’s a really concerning admission about the mentality of Arne Slot’s side. And he’s not the only one who takes issue.
Is it time for Van Dijk to join Salah this summer and leave Liverpool?
The errors are beginning to pile up…
Manchester City v Liverpool - Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Phil Jagielka echoes Virgil Van Dijk criticism
Another former player chimed in on the discussion — this time, Everton icon Phil Jagielka.
He appeared on BBC Sport’s Monday Night Club, where he added: “I think that’s the worst thing he could have said. He will be absolutely raging. He gave away a penalty and didn’t perform as well as he’d have liked.
“As that person who represents the club, you can’t protect your players because everyone’s seen the game, so you can’t trick people into thinking ‘it would’ve gone this way or that way’.
“You want to see some emotions. You want to see some hurt. How he said it may not have been the best way, but he’s basically letting the fans know that they all know they’ve underperformed and let them down, and he doesn’t quite feel the same pain as the people who are getting the train or the bus home.”
Van Dijk isn’t one to come under criticism as often as some other struggling Reds, but whether it was the emotion of the loss or a general fatigue from all the bad results, he went the wrong way in his analysis.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox