Liverpool boss Arne Slot responds after Virgil van Dijk took matters into his own hands

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has backed Virgil van Dijk’s decision to call a players-only meeting in the wake of Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Anfield

Arne Slot has backed Virgil van Dijk’s decision to call a squad meeting to try and address Liverpool’s dreadful run of form after the defeat by Manchester United. Reds skipper Van Dijk called the players together after the 2-1 loss to Manchester United last weekend and it had the desired effect.

The Reds managed to dodge a fifth consecutive defeat and their worst run in 72 years by trouncing Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 in the Champions League midweek. However, three back-to-back Premier League losses have seen Liverpool fall four points behind the leaders and new title favourites, Arsenal.

Liverpool boss Slot was pleased with his fellow Dutchman’s decision to provide a fresh perspective to the struggling squad.

“What Virgil did and what I did is what you need to do, what all the players did,” said Slot ahead of Saturday’s Premier League game against Brentford, reports the Liverpool Echo. “None of them should accept a loss against United, especially after already losing three games. That was something I was not happy about.”

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“It would not be good if the voice they were hearing was always me. That is why they hear my assistants too. And I don’t think it was like Virgil brought them over and said (gestures working on a tactics board): ‘From now on we must play like this’.

“We have five players who are captains of their national team. Virgil was not the only one who said something. You need that with experience, all of them can have a proper conversation.

“I encourage them to take responsibility and talk to each other, whether they are in the sauna or swimming pool, or when they are standing around with five or six of them. But if we have a leader like Virgil with so much respect in the group, then it is a good thing.”

Slot continued: “I have had this experience maybe 250,000 times. If they are sitting upstairs at the coffee bar now, do you think they talk? I think they do. They constantly talk, sometimes that is done with everybody and sometimes just the leadership group.

“They talk and they should do. They feel what happens on the pitch. But when it comes to tactics, that is my territory.”

Henderson’s legacy – the sole Liverpool skipper to hoist six different trophies – remains visible at the club’s AXA Training Centre, with a motivational quote from the England star displayed on the wall behind where Slot was addressing the media ahead of tonight’s clash.

Van Dijk – who will lead Liverpool for the 150th time on Saturday – took over from Henderson two years ago and guided the Reds to League Cup glory in 2024 and Premier League triumph last season. Slot stated: “For me he has been the most influential captain I have had since I became a manager. That is meant as a compliment, but most of mine in the Dutch league were 22 or 23 because if they did well, they would go somewhere else after good performances.

“Virgil has done what I expected of him with his own performances. He has been a leader throughout my period here. Every single day, I can see he is the leader. If we start a session I can always hear him. I could not have asked more from him in that role. He has been very good successor.”

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