VAN DIJK HITS BACK AT'LAZY' CRITICISM

Skipper rejects Rooney comments as Reds return to winning ways

- By PAUL GORST

VIRGIL van Dijk has hit back at Wayne Rooney's comments over a lack of leadership at Liverpool.

The Reds captain branded the Manchester United legend's analysis as "lazy criticism".

Liverpool ended a run of four successive Premier League defeats on Saturday night as they beat Aston Villa 2-0 at Anfield to move up to third in the table, level on points with second-placed Bournemouth ahead of their trip to Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.

That sequence was the worst of the Netherlands international's time at the club since his January 2018 move from Southampton.

And former United, Everton and England striker Rooney was critical of Van Dijk at the top of the week on his BBC podcast as he said: "Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, they've signed new deals but I don't think they've really led that team this season."

Van Dijk offered a measured reply following Saturday's win over Villa, saying it is easy to lay the blame at the door of the team's most experienced operators.

"I didn't hear him last year," Van Dijk said. "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.