Virgil van Dijk has hit out at ‘disrespectful’ questions of Arne Slot’s Liverpool reign.
Slot was asked ahead Wednesday’s Champions League win over Marseille about whether he felt pressured by links with Xabi Alonso as his replacement.
The Dutchman laughed off the question, understood to be from a local French journalist, and labelled it ‘one of the weirdest’ he had faced as a manager.
But Van Dijk slammed the attempts to undermine Slot’s position before what was a potentially defining moment in the Reds’ European campaign.
He said: “I think that was very disrespectful.
”Criticism is part of the game, we all know that, but I think it is also a reason why he (the journalist) is not here [at the game].
“I think criticism is part and parcel for us, that’s what we live with and it’s absolutely justified if you look at what we are doing in the season, unfortunately for us, especially based on last season.
“I think we always work hard on things we can improve.
“But we also don’t forget that with all the changes in the summer, with different faces and style of players, different combinations you have to find training helps with that, matches even more.
“So it’s been a very difficult part of the season for us players and the manager as well but in my opinion he handled it very well.
“At the end of the day we are in a results business and we all get judged – players, the manager and everyone involved with the results – and that is what we are working on to improve on a consistent basis.”