Tom Olver
Published November 23, 2025 1:19pm
Updated November 23, 2025 1:27pm
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Virgil van Dijk was heavily critical of Liverpool’s performance against Nottingham Forest (Picture: Getty)
Wayne Rooney believes Virgil van Dijk’s comments in the wake of Liverpool’s defeat to Nottingham Forest should be a cause for ‘concern’ amongst the fanbase.
The Reds’ wretched start to the season slumped to a new low as they fell to a limp 3-0 loss on home soil, with Murillo, Nicolo Savona and Morgan Gibbs-White finding the net against the champions.
The hosts had nothing by way of a response at Anfield and Sean Dyche’s Forest held firm to go four matches unbeaten in all competitions, despite finishing with just 25 per cent of the overall possession.
The result – Liverpool’s sixth defeat in 12 league games – leaves the club languishing down in 11th place in the Premier League table at this early stage of the top-flight campaign.
At the same point last season, the Merseyside giants were 13 points better off having won ten of their opening 12 matches with just one defeat to their name.
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Arne Slot will be desperate to put things right on Wednesday night when his Liverpool side return to action in the Champions League away to PSV Eindhoven.
‘We were just not good in terms of the battles, the challenges, the second-ball fight, too rushed,’ a despondent Van Dijk told BBC Sport shortly after the final whistle.
Murillo opened the scoring on Merseyside (Picture: Getty)
Liverpool’s leaders must step up after their poor start, says Rooney (Picture: Getty)
‘So it’s a very, very difficult situation at the moment.’
Analysing Liverpool’s latest setback on Match of the Day, legendary ex-Manchester United and Everton forward Rooney suggested it was up to the leaders in the dressing room to help steer the club out of their malaise.
On Van Dijk’s post-match remarks, Rooney said: ‘That’s a concern when your captain is speaking like that about the players lacking fight and not winning second balls or challenges.
‘Nottingham Forest allowed Liverpool to come onto them early on and they were sucking Liverpool into traps all afternoon.
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Previous Page Next Page‘It’s a clear message [from Van Dijk] to his team-mates I think.’
Rooney added: ‘Liverpool are a very good team and they’re going through a very difficult moment at the minute and Van Dijk is the captain, the leader, and that is a strong message to his team-mates.
‘Maybe it’s meant for players who haven’t been there, who weren’t there last year, who didn’t win the league with Liverpool.
‘That’s the message: the standards at Liverpool need to be higher than what they are at the minute.’
The Reds are stranded down in 11th after their latest setback (Picture: Getty)
According to Rooney, Liverpool even appeared to be ‘struggling’ in games when they went on a winning seven game winning run at the start of the season.
‘They’ve been going through a tough time all season really,’ the former England striker continued.
‘Even at the beginning of the season, they won games but they were struggling with performances.
‘I’ve said this throughout the season that it’s the leaders in that dressing room that need to pick the players up because, if not, we’ve seen it over the years with Manchester United and last season with Tottenham, they can slip down the table.’
Slot cut a frustrated figure on the touchline at Anfield (Picture: Getty)
Speaking to Sky Sports in the immediate aftermath, Slot took full responsibility for the defeat while admitting that his squad were in a ‘very bad spell’.
‘If things go well or things go bad, it’s always my responsibility,’ the Liverpool head coach said.
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‘We weren’t able to create enough. I tried to adjust a few things that didn’t really work out. We weren’t able to score a goal.
‘We are in a very bad spell. It’s that simple. We also know in a few days we play Champions League. Keep our heads up, work incredibly hard, and try to turn things around.
‘It’s my job to get the best out of them. I am not at the moment. That’s why I say it’s my responsibility.’
After a midweek trip to the Netherlands to face PSV Eindhoven, Liverpool return to Premier League action at the London Stadium against West Ham.
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