Virgil van Dijk's ex-teammate points finger at Liverpool stars in passionate defence of captain

Virgil van Dijk's ex-teammate points finger at Liverpool stars in passionate defence of captainLiverpool's poor campaign and non-existent Premier League title defence has seen all their players attract criticism, including long-serving captain Virgil van DijkCommentsSportFelix Keith Senior Sports Reporter09:11, 22 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesVirgil van Dijk has come under criticism this season(Image: Molly Darlington/Getty Images)Virgil van Dijk should be exempt from the criticism that comes the way of his Liverpool team-mates, according to Shane Long. Liverpool are nearing the end of a poor season and Van Dijk's performances have been questioned by some fans and pundits.‌The Reds will end the 2025/26 campaign without a trophy, having put in a dreadful defence of the Premier League title they won in Arne Slot's first season in charge. They were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, by Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and by Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.‌Slot's side sit fifth in the Premier League with five games left to play and are fully focused on securing a place in next season's Champions League. They are currently enjoying a rare high after Van Dijk's injury-time header earned them a 2-1 win over rivals Everton.‌That was the sixth goal in his 50th appearance of the campaign and Long believes the Netherlands international has not been culpable for the team's inconsistency. Long played alongside Van Dijk at Southampton before he joined Liverpool in 2018 and doesn't think his levels have dropped now he's 34 years old.FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FB PAGE! Latest Reds news and more on our dedicated Facebook pageREAD MORE: Hugo Ekitike sends defiant message as Liverpool star leaves hospital following Achilles injuryREAD MORE: Yan Diomande to Liverpool transfer threat emerges after talks held over £87m deal“Virgil van Dijk will stay at Liverpool as lon...