Liverpool
Van Dijk Rebukes Critics After Liverpool Recover With 2–0 Win
Van Dijk deflected critics after Liverpool’s 2–0 win over Aston Villa and called for calm focus.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk used a postmatch press conference to push back against mounting criticism after a nervy spell for the club. The Dutch defender, who spoke for two minutes and 10 seconds before adding “Sorry for the long answer.,” said the noise around the team had become distracting.
Five consecutive defeats to English opposition for the first time in 72 years had prompted alarm among fans, pundits and some players. A 2–0 victory at home to Aston Villa on Saturday night provided relief and left Van Dijk blunt about media reaction. “Even in good times, you have to still keep going and don’t take our foot off the gas,” the Dutch skipper told TNT Sports. “What I’ve noticed over the last few weeks is that there’s a lot of noise that you have no control over and we have to deal with that as a team. Some of the takes are ridiculous, but you deal with it.”
Van Dijk also acknowledged high-profile criticism can reach the squad, referencing comments such as Jamie Carragher’s warning that it was “crisis time.” “Outside noise can reach certain players,” he admitted, “but we stick together. We are not going out on the pitch to lose games or leave fans disappointed, we want to work our socks off and win games. But it’s not a guarantee, the Premier League is the highest level.
“Now it’s time to start working, never get too high or too low. We live in a world where everyone can have their own opinions on so many platforms and they know better. We have to stay away from that and focus on the hard work we are doing.
“Last season, we did some negative stuff but everything was all sunshine and rainbows everywhere. Now it sounds like we’re going to be in a relegation battle—that’s how it works in the world.”
The win moved Liverpool back up to third in the Premier League table. Mohamed Salah fired Liverpool in front at the end of a dominant first half and Ryan Gravenberch added a second in the 58th minute. Dominik Szoboszlai and Ibrahima Konaté both missed clear chances.
Manager Arne Slot urged caution despite the scoreline. “The margins are small every single game—today after five minutes they hit the post,” the Dutch boss fretted to Match of the Day. “We didn’t concede a set piece, which was helpful, but also we got a bit lucky which hasn’t happened recently. Our second goal was a deflection.” He added: “The good thing about being 1–0 or 2–0 up [is] you can control the game a bit better with more possession, but if you are down you have to chase the game and take risks and get counter-attacked.”
Liverpool
Liverpool Rebuff Ajax Approach for Arne Slot as Ownership Signals Backing
Arne Slot was approached by Ajax but Liverpool ownership have confirmed he will stay in charge. 2026
Arne Slot was reportedly sounded out as a potential candidate to take charge of Dutch giants Ajax this coming summer. According to reporting, those enquiries were quickly unsuccessful, reinforcing Liverpool’s firm stance that Slot will remain manager.
The four-time European champions currently lie fourth in the Dutch league, 23 points adrift of champions PSV Eindhoven with only two matches of a miserable campaign remaining. Caretaker manager Óscar García is set to part ways with the club over the summer and the net of potential suitors has been cast by sporting director Jordi Cruyff. Mike Verweij of the Dutch publication De Telegraaf recently revealed that inquiries over Slot’s availability have been made by Ajax. They proved “futile.”
Verweij quoted sources who insisted: “Slot is still firmly in the driver’s seat; he’s just carrying on at Liverpool,” and added, “I also understand that Arne Slot isn’t particularly keen on joining Ajax at this point in his career.” Those lines of reporting underline a clear message from Liverpool and their decision-makers.
The club’s ownership has remained publicly unyielding even as performances have fallen from the title-winning campaign. “Fans get frustrated,” the head of Liverpool’s ownership company, Fenway Sports Group (FSG) told the Sports Business Journal this week. Boasting a majority stake in MLB franchise the Boston Red Sox as well as investment in NHL and NASCAR, Henry has developed a thick skin. “The Sox looked terrible for [their] first 25 games,” Henry continued. “I remember a plane flying overhead when we [Liverpool ] were beating Manchester United 7–0 that read ‘FSG OUT!’
“It doesn’t mean you ignore them, it means you work harder—you don’t settle for mediocrity. You have to win.”
Premier League statistics supplied in the report show the contrast between seasons:
2024–25: Games 38, Wins 25, Draws 9, Losses 4, Goals Scored 86, Goals Against 41, Goal Difference +45, Points 84.
2025–26: Games 35, Wins 17, Draws 7, Losses 11, Goals Scored 59, Goals Against 47, Goal Difference +12, Points 58.
Throughout FSG’s 16-year ownership of Liverpool, Henry has only sacked two managers: Roy Hodgson in January 2011 and Brendan Rodgers in October 2015 after a period of decline following the 2013–14 season.
Liverpool
Refereeing Calls and Costly Errors Defined Liverpool’s Day at Anfield
Slot blamed refereeing decisions and “stupid” mistakes as the defining themes of Liverpool’s season.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot admitted the 3–2 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday exposed the two dominant strands of his team’s season: contentious refereeing decisions and a handful of “stupid” mistakes from his players. He challenged one pivotal decision but also accepted his side’s sloppy play gave the moment its opportunity.
“If it was a touch, which I think it is, because if you know a bit about ball sports, you know that if a ball has a certain curve and the curve changes, there must have been a contact,” Slot said. He added: “But if it’s light then we should have a debate in football about whether that’s enough to disallow a goal. But the rule is if there was a touch then it should have been disallowed.”
Slot insisted the pattern of contentious decisions has been a recurring theme this season. “I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone this season that if there’s a VAR intervention or if there’s something that could be left or could be right then the decision goes against us. That has been the whole season every single time this season. I remember Paris Saint-Germain at home , getting a penalty for a soft touch on [Alexis] Mac Allister but of course the VAR intervenes and says, ‘No, no, no, this is not a penalty.’ Then one week later when I see Paris Saint-Germain play against Bayern Munich and get that same soft touch but the penalty stays.”
He contrasted incidents in which play was not stopped for injury with others where it was, and stressed self-examination. “We have to first look at ourselves, that is completely clear and obvious, but that decisions have gone every single game against us, that’s also completely clear and obvious.”
Slot noted moments of poor concentration and a turnover that led to the second goal: “we lost the ball in a stupid position and we lost a few big moments afterwards in duels.” The club appears settled on his future: his position is understood to be safe and Liverpool are keeping last season’s title in view. With Champions League qualification largely secure — six points clear with three games left — Slot must now map out how to correct the recurring faults exposed this campaign.
Liverpool
Isak Suffers Groin Setback but Slot Insists Recovery Will Be Short
Isak has suffered a groin setback after returning from a broken leg; Slot expects a short layoff…
Alexander Isak’s first months on Merseyside have been disrupted by injury and interrupted preparation. A disrupted preseason and a broken leg have prevented the striker enjoying a smooth debut campaign after his rise at St. James’ Park. He only recently returned from that major leg injury and, after a few sluggish outings, had appeared to be finding momentum again.
Isak scored his first Premier League goal at Anfield since he donned Saudi green for the Magpies, but he has suffered a fresh groin problem in training. The first reports of the issue emerged on Saturday and the knock was enough to rule him out of Sunday’s clash at Old Trafford. That absence followed a significant injury sustained at Tottenham Hotspur before Christmas, which ruled him out for the best part of four months.
Arne Slot spoke to Sky Sports before kick-off to outline the immediate impact on his squad and to express his frustration. He said: “After our last win against Palace, you go into the week and in the start you already know you’re going to miss out on Mo [Salah], and then during the week we miss out on Alex as well.
“But that’s not the first time this season. Arsenal away, we had our both No. 9s not available as well and we were able to play a good game. So, it is the situation to accept it.
“Of course, very unlucky and unhappy with the fact Alex picked up a small—really small—injury,” Slot fretted. “That’s why this game came a bit too early.”
Reports underline that the latest problem is not on the scale of his broken leg, and Slot has been optimistic about a swift recovery for his costly recruit. Isak had dealt with a few nagging issues at Newcastle, and those problems have not ceased since his move. Despite the setback and with just three Premier League games remaining, these comments suggest Isak’s season may still continue.
