Van Dijk Navigates Liverpool Turmoil: Backs Salah to Stay While Demanding Team “Look in the Mirror”

In a turbulent week for Liverpool, captain Virgil van Dijk has publicly urged Mohamed Salah to stay at the club while also delivering a brutally honest assessment of the “very bad” atmosphere engulfing the team.

The drama began following Liverpool’s 3-3 draw with Leeds United last Saturday. An unused substitute, Salah gave an explosive post-match interview, stating he felt “thrown under the bus” by the club and admitting he had “no relationship” with manager Arne Slot. In response, the club left him out of the squad for a crucial Champions League match against Inter Milan.

Despite the public fallout, Van Dijk, a long-time friend and teammate, has made a direct personal appeal to the Egyptian superstar.

Van Dijk’s Personal Plea to Salah

Speaking after Liverpool’s 2-0 Premier League win over Brighton—a match where Salah returned to the squad and provided an assist—the captain revealed he has told Salah he wants him to stay.

“Of course I speak to him. I speak about everything with him. Of course I’ve told him I want him to stay,” Van Dijk said. “He is one of the leaders. I would love to have him around… I wish him all the best and come back hopefully.”

Van Dijk refused to be drawn on whether Salah should apologize for his comments, framing it as a matter for the player and club to resolve. He emphasized the need for the squad to remain united against external “noise,” a sentiment echoed by defender Andy Robertson.

This plea for unity comes against a backdrop of severe on-pitch struggles. Just days before the Salah controversy, Liverpool suffered a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest—their sixth loss in seven league games.
After that match, Van Dijk offered a stark and critical assessment, pointing to a toxic environment at Anfield.

“The atmosphere, in my eyes, is very bad. We need to look in the mirror,” he stated. “We’re just in a very, very difficult moment… We have to take responsibility.”

He pinpointed a nervousness and lack of resilience in the team, describing players as “too rushed” to rectify mistakes, which has led to conceding “too many easy goals.”

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While the squad navigates internal strife, Van Dijk offered strong backing for manager Arne Slot’s handling of the delicate Salah situation.

“I think he’s handled the situation very well. Calm in his own way. It is a very tricky situation… he’s handled it very well.”

The immediate future adds another layer of complexity. Salah has now joined the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and could be unavailable until mid-to-late January. This coincides with the opening of the January transfer window, where interest from leagues like the Saudi Pro League is expected. Van Dijk acknowledged this reality, stating of Salah’s future, “I have no control over that.”

Looking Ahead

For now, Liverpool has secured two consecutive 1-0 wins (against Inter and Brighton) to steady the ship. Van Dijk insists the “mood in the dressing room has always been very good” and highlighted the team’s “willingness to turn this around.” However, his dual message is clear: the club must fight to keep its best players while the entire team must collectively find the character to escape their worst form in years. The coming month, with Salah away and the transfer window open, will be a decisive period for Liverpool’s season.

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