Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk defended himself after former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney strongly criticized the Dutch skipper for his role in the opening goal of Paris Saint-Germain on Anfield on Tuesday night.
Ousmana Dembele shot psg in front of at night and the level on the aggregate in the second part of the backward -ranging League of the last 16. The Frenchman in shape acted as an wandering fake nine in the middle of the week, descending from the front line to receive the ball in space before playing wide in Bradley Barcola, whose low cross eventually fell to get in.
Rooney, in his capacity as a pundit for Amazon Primehe singled out Captain Liverpool when analyzing the goal. “They try to press the ball and get a lazy dijk,” former England International claimed. “If you are watching out of Dijk, he walks and leaves a massive gap toward Dembele. All he has to do is come across and cover Dembele because Paris has no passage to come out, and he doesn’t.”
Have not scored more goals, forcing a hole Which PSG beat.
Van Dijk did not stay on this European elimination – instead of watching his daughter’s production at school Fantastic Mr. Fox – But the topic of Rooney’s criticism was raised this week. “Someone told me about this,” Van Dijk admitted. “I think at that certain moment I help [Andrew] Robertson, telling him to clean the outside. I take it inside. Now even explaining what I thought at that moment, but if he [Rooney] He thought it was lazy, and then he gave his opinion. That’s it.
“There were so many challenges for years ago for these players and, obviously this is a challenge for players that you have to deal with opinions today here and there and that breaks all the time.
“Looking at what I see in the locker room, the boys do well in terms of holding the head and focusing on the task ahead. This is the most important thing I want to see. No one goes smoothly sailing, especially if you are in Premier league.
“If we get a prize at the end of the season, I’m sure Liverpool will bounce.”
Van Dijk and his teammates could be rewarded on Sunday night when Liverpool downloaded Newcastle United In the finals of the Carabao Cup at Wembley Stadium.
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