Former Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has criticised Liverpool’s senior players, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, questioning their leadership and describing their recent body language as a “big concern.”
According to a report by BBC Sport on Monday, Rooney made the remarks on the latest episode of The Wayne Rooney Show.
The five-time Premier League champion said, “No one has seen this coming, it’s hit them quick, it’s hit them hard and I think they’re struggling to find a way out of it,” adding that, “This is a time where the manager and the leaders in the team need to figure it out very quickly.”
Rooney further commented, “Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, they’ve signed new deals but I don’t think they’ve really led that team this season. I think body language tells you a lot, and I think we’re seeing slightly different body language from the two of them. They are the top two players in that team and if their body language is not right, that affects everyone else. I might be wrong on this, but if I was a Liverpool fan or the manager, that would be a big concern for me.”
Switching focus to Arsenal, Rooney stated that Mikel Arteta could be under pressure “if Arsenal don’t win the title now.”
He noted that, “In contrast to Liverpool’s problems, Arsenal look to be well placed to lift the title for the first time since 2004, having finished runners-up for the past three seasons.”
Arteta’s side have maintained strong form, winning their last four league matches with three consecutive clean sheets, capped by Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
Rooney added, “The squad is good enough now and I think they’ve had the experiences which have got them close, but I think they’re ready for it. If they don’t win it now, you’d probably see a change of manager,” he concluded.