Liverpool’s recent struggles in the Premier League have caught many by surprise, including Wayne Rooney. The team has endured four consecutive league losses, dropping to seventh place, seven points behind leaders Arsenal.
Their latest defeat was a 3-2 loss to Brentford, following setbacks against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, and Manchester United.
Rooney attributes Liverpool’s poor form to a lack of leadership within the squad. He specifically pointed out captain Virgil van Dijk and star forward Mohamed Salah for not stepping up as leaders this season. Despite both players recently committing their futures to the club, Rooney questioned their influence on the team.
On “The Wayne Rooney Show,” he expressed concerns about the attitude of Liverpool’s key figures. “No-one has seen this coming, it’s hit them quick, it’s hit them hard and I think they’re struggling to find a way out of it,” Rooney said. He emphasized that this is a critical time for the manager and team leaders to address these issues swiftly.
Salah has managed to score three Premier League goals so far this season, making him Liverpool’s top scorer despite facing criticism. However, Rooney believes that both Van Dijk and Salah have not shown the leadership expected from them. “Van Dijk and Salah, they’ve signed new deals but I don’t think they’ve really led that team this season,” he continued.
Their current situation is unprecedented as they became only the fourth reigning Premier League champions to lose four consecutive games. This slump follows an impressive start where they won their first five matches of the season.
Body Language Concerns
Rooney also highlighted concerns about the body language of Van Dijk and Salah. “I think body language tells you a lot, and I think we’re seeing slightly different body language from the two of them,” he noted. He stressed that if these top players display negative body language, it could impact the entire team’s morale.
“They are the top two players in that team and if their body language is not right, that affects everyone else,” Rooney added. He admitted he might be wrong but stated that if he were a Liverpool fan or manager, this would be a significant concern.
Liverpool must address these leadership issues quickly to turn their season around. The pressure is on both the manager and key players like Van Dijk and Salah to lead by example and restore confidence within the squad.