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Rio Ferdinand Picks a Side in Virgil Van Dijk vs Wayne Rooney Row - 'I Think It's Brilliant'

Rio Ferdinand praises Virgil van Dijk's strong rebuttal to Wayne Rooney's claims about Liverpool's leadership amid six losses in seven matches.

  • On Tuesday, Rio Ferdinand defended Virgil van Dijk on his podcast after the captain's public rebuttal and a face-to-face exchange with Wayne Rooney following the match.
  • Earlier this year, Wayne Rooney questioned the leadership of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah after Liverpool lost five of six games in all competitions.
  • But speaking after Saturday's 2-0 win, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said criticism had been over the top at times, accepted some responsibility for losing four of five games, and called Rooney's remark lazy.
  • The handshake on live television came after Liverpool registered a crucial league victory as Virgil van Dijk and Wayne Rooney shook hands and appeared friendly despite earlier exchanges.
  • With many platforms amplifying reaction, Virgil van Dijk urged ex-players and broadcasters to put difficult moments into perspective rather than magnify them.
Insights by Ground AI

18 Articles

Right

Virgil van Dijk recently responded to Wayne Rooney's comments. The former Manchester United striker was extremely critical of Liverpool and their captain. On Tuesday evening, the confrontation escalated.

·Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Bias Distribution

  • 45% of the sources lean Left
45% Left

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Liverpool Echo broke the news in Liverpool, United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
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