Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has said that the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have not played like leaders for Liverpool after signing new contracts. The 40-year-old said that both players were showing different body language as compared to before, and that could impact the rest of the team as well.
The Reds suffered their fourth successive Premier League defeat on Saturday, losing 2-3 to Brentford away from home. They are currently in seventh place on the points table, with 15 points in nine matches.
“Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, they’ve signed new deals but I don’t think they’ve really led that team this season. I think body language tells you a lot, and I think we’re seeing slightly different body language from the two of them. They are the top two players in that team and if their body language is not right, that affects everyone else,” Rooney said on BBC’s “The Wayne Rooney Show”.
“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. This is a time where the manager and the leaders in the team need to figure it out very quickly,” he added.
The five-time Premier League winner also felt that if Arsenal did not go on to win the league this season, it could lead to a change in manager. He felt that the side were ready to go all the way and win their first title since 2004.
“The squad is good enough now and I think they’ve had the experiences which have got them close, but I think they’re ready for it. If they don’t win it now, you’d probably see a change of manager,” he said.
Arsenal strengthened their position at the top of the points table with a 1-0 home win over Crystal Palace on Sunday. They now have 22 points in nine matches and are four clear of second-place Bournemouth in the standings.
