Virgil van Dijk and Wayne Rooney shared an awkward reunion at Anfield on Tuesday night.The pair came face-to-face live on TV following Liverpool’s Champions League win over Real Madrid. Amazon Prime VideoThe two at least saw the funny side of the encounter[/caption]Alexis Mac Allister’s second half goal proved to the difference between the two sides.And Reds captain Van Dijk joined the Amazon Prime Video panel pitchside moments after his side’s 1-0 victory.The defender stood alongside Rooney just days after accusing the former England captain of ‘lazy criticism’ towards him.His remarks came after the pundit had singled out Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah for their leadership and body language during Liverpool’s recent dip in form.However, they appeared to have put their war of words behind them as they discussed the Reds’ performance.Asked about standing up to criticism from pundits, Van Dijk said: “I am living with players that might have been affected by it. If you lose a game for Liverpool, four, five games, there is criticism, that is normal in a sense.“It is over the top at times. I think it’s because we live in the world of so many platforms, so many people can say stuff, and it can be picked up.“Ex-players that played at the highest level had difficult moments as well.“I want to perform for the team, the club and everyone who supports us through thick and thin.”The reunion followed a response from Rooney to Van Dijk earlier in the day.Amazon Prime VideoVan Dijk defended his decision to stand up to Rooney’s recent criticism live on TV[/caption]Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, he explained: “Van Dijk’s similar to Mo Salah.“Over the last five years, he’s been one of if not the best defender in the world.“Last year it was hard to say anything bad because they were that good and he was that good.“I’m sure he would come out and say he probably hasn’t been at his best this season, if he’s honest with himself.“As captain, your job as captain if things aren’t going right is to speak to your team-mates, call meetings with your team-mates.“That’s really what I was saying, as a captain, as a leader, I’m sure he will have been doing that.AFPRooney previously commented on Van Dijk and Salah’s leadership and body language[/caption]Match Stats“I’ve got full respect for Virgil van Dijk, he’s a fantastic player. My job now as a pundit is to give my opinion based on what I feel.“I’m sure if you ask him, or you ask Arne Slot, he probably hasn’t been as good as he has been over the last few years and that was my comment.”What did Van Dijk say?Van Dijk had questioned Rooney’s previous comments following Liverpool’s win over Aston Villa on Saturday.The Reds ended a run of four consecutive Premier League defeats at the weekend.Following the match, the Dutch defender said: “I didn’t hear him last year. No, it doesn’t hurt me to be honest.“Just to come back to this particular player, obviously a legend, a big player of the game who inspired so many, I can say only positive things but I feel that comment is just I would say it’s a bit of a lazy criticism.GettyVan Dijk captained the Reds to a crucial Champions League triumph at Anfield[/caption]“That’s my personal opinion. It’s easy to blame the other players but he knows obviously as well as everyone else we do it together trying to help each and every one of us to try to get out of this and, like I said as well, last year when things go well you don’t hear that at all. It is what it is.“(Pundits) have to do that job as well, so it is what it is. Like I said, he has an opinion and we have to deal with it.“And there’s no hard feelings, by the way. I don’t take it personally whatsoever.”