‘That’s not the issue’ – Van Dijk shuts down reporter and makes Trent admission after Chelsea loss | OneFootball

Liverpool’s captain has always worn his emotions on his sleeve and after a third straight defeat, they were there for all to see.

Van Dijk defends team amid Trent Alexander-Arnold questions

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Tensions were high at Stamford Bridge following our 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, with Estevao Willian’s last-minute goal sealing a nightmare week for us after losses to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray.

When Virgil van Dijk faced the media, the Dutchman didn’t hold back after being asked repeatedly about Liverpool’s right-backs.

“The right-back is not the issue if you’re trying to do that,” the skipper told a reporter in the mixed zone, via NBC Sports.

“You asked two questions about the right-backs. Maybe you feel like the right-back is the problem.”

Many pundits do believe this is a problem though, with Ian Wright and Danny Murphy stating that a lack of protection from Mo Salah is causing issues at right back.

Add on Jamie Redknapp’s comments about our full backs, it feels like many are highlighting this one key area of the pitch.

Van Dijk’s frustration is understandable. Between Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley and Dominik Szoboszlai, there’s been a battle for who is fit enough and in the best form to be filling in at right-back.

And though Trent Alexander-Arnold’s summer move to Real Madrid hit him hard, Van Dijk insisted that his exit isn’t the reason we’ve struggled recently.

“It’s not about him,” he said. “He had amazing quality but he left us. Last year, we played a lot of games without him as well. Obviously, we were all gutted that he left in the summer, but that is not the issue.”

Van Dijk admits it was always going to be a ‘difficult season’

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

After lifting the Premier League title last season, our captain knows expectations have never been higher but he urged calm, reminding everyone that cycles take time to reset.

“It was always going to be a difficult season,” he added. “We have to go through this as one — not only us as players but also the staff, and our fans who celebrated being champions.”

The Dutch defender’s message is clear: unity, not panic. “There is still plenty of work to do,” he concluded.

“We know in football, every three or four days, things can change and momentum can change.”

That unity will be needed with Manchester United visiting Anfield next, a fixture that has the potential to reignite belief when we need it most.

You can view Van Dijk’s comments via NBC Sports on YouTube:

You can watch Slot’s post Chelsea press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

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