Van Dijk explains why one Marseille question crossed a line for Slot
Virgil van Dijk has publicly backed Arne Slot after describing a pre-match question about his manager’s future as “disrespectful” following Liverpool’s Champions League win in Marseille.
Speaking after our 3–0 victory in France, the Liverpool captain made it clear that the timing and nature of the question crossed a line, particularly given the context of the season and the work being done inside the club.
The comment came after Slot had been asked about speculation linking Xabi Alonso to his role on the eve of a crucial European fixture, something the Dutchman himself described as “one of the weirdest questions” he has faced.
Van Dijk draws a line around Slot criticism
Van Dijk did not shy away from the subject when asked about it after the match, with the centre-back calling the question “disrespectful” in comments reported by BBC Sport.
The 34-year-old acknowledged that criticism is part of life at Liverpool, but stressed that it must be grounded in performance rather than speculation.
This speculation comes from the likes of Jermaine Pennant who said that our boss has now “got a problem” because of the now former Madrid and Leverkusen coach being on the market.
He pointed out that this has been a difficult stretch for both players and staff, yet praised the way our head coach has handled the pressure while keeping the squad focused.
That stance echoed the calm Slot showed himself when the subject first arose.
Van Dijk’s defence also landed on a significant night personally, as he marked his 350th appearance for the club with a clean sheet and one of our most complete performances of the season.
Marseille performance underlines Liverpool unity
On the pitch, we delivered a response that left little room for doubt.
Goals from Dominik Szoboszlai, an own goal forced by Jeremie Frimpong, and a late strike from Cody Gakpo sealed a dominant away win, moving us into a strong position to finish inside the Champions League top eight.
According to Opta Analyst, Liverpool are now unbeaten in 13 matches in all competitions, the longest ongoing run among Europe’s top five leagues.
That context matters when weighing up outside noise.
It also adds perspective to repeated comparisons with Alonso, particularly when recent head-to-head meetings are considered.
| Date | Result | Opponent | Stadium | Competition |
| 05/11/2024 | 4–0 | Bayer Leverkusen | Anfield | Champions League |
| 04/11/2025 | 1–0 | Real Madrid | Anfield | Champions League |
Those results underline that Slot has already gone toe-to-toe with our former midfielder and come out on top, while also delivering a Premier League title within his first 18 months at Anfield.
Van Dijk’s intervention felt significant because it came from inside the dressing room rather than from the bench.
At a moment when speculation has tried to create distance between manager and squad, the captain’s words instead reinforced unity.
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The post Van Dijk explains why one Marseille question crossed a line for Slot appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.