Virgil van Dijk has responded in typically measured fashion after being accused of not showing enough leadership during the Reds’ recent poor run of form.Van Dijk sends a message to Wayne Rooney(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)Speaking after the 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield, Virgil van Dijk dismissed Wayne Rooney’s comments as “lazy criticism” and said the team’s response on the pitch was proof they remain united under Arne Slot.“I didn’t hear him last year,” the Dutch defender told BBC Sport.“It doesn’t hurt me. Obviously, he’s a legend, a big player of the game, but I feel that comment is just, I would say, a bit of a lazy criticism. It’s easy to blame the other players, but he knows we do it together.”The Reds’ win over Villa, secured by Mo Salah’s 250th goal for the club and Ryan Gravenberch’s deflected strike, ended a four-game losing streak and lifted us back into third place in the Premier League table.Van Dijk stands firm as Liverpool rediscover rhythm(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Van Dijk’s calm but clear response summed up the spirit that helped us win the Premier League last season.For all the outside noise, the 34-year-old insists there’s no panic inside the dressing room.“We all felt we can work our way out of this,” he added. “It’s not a guarantee, but as long as we believe, stay humble and keep working, we can do it. And we all have that feeling.”Rooney, speaking on his podcast, has since stood by his remarks: “I’ve got full respect for Virgil. I think he’s a fantastic player. My job now as a pundit is to give my opinions on what I feel”.Liverpool, now level on points with Bournemouth and just one behind Manchester City, travel to the Etihad next weekend after hosting Real Madrid on Tuesday night – a huge week that could shape Slot’s second season in charge.It was only a week ago that questions about our leadership were swirling, but this performance felt like the answer on the pitch.Salah’s landmark strike and Van Dijk’s post-match defiance remind everyone what this team still is – proud, together, and far from finished.Join our channel of readers on WhatsApp to get the day’s top stories straight to your mobileThe post ‘Lazy criticism’ – Van Dijk fires back after Rooney questions Liverpool leadership appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.