‘Worst thing he could have said’ – Phil Jagielka calls out Liverpool star over post-match remark

Phil Jagielka called out Virgil van Dijk over one comment made by the Liverpool captain after the 4-0 thrashing by Manchester City on Saturday.

After the Reds were brutally eliminated from the FA Cup last weekend, the 34-year-old remarked: ‘You shouldn’t give up and that’s maybe, at a certain point, what happened’ (BBC Sport), whilst also empathising with those fans who left the Etihad Stadium well before full-time.

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The former Everton defender didn’t like hearing the Dutchman suggesting that he and his teammates threw in the towel on Saturday, claiming that it sent out the wrong message to supporters.

Jagielka calls out Van Dijk over post-match comments

Speaking on the Monday Night Club (via BBC Sport), Jagielka said: “I think that’s the worst thing he could have said. He will be absolutely raging. He gave away a penalty and didn’t perform as well as he’d have liked.

“As that person who represents the club, you can’t protect your players because everyone’s seen the game, so you can’t trick people into thinking ‘it would’ve gone this way or that way’.

“You want to see some emotions. You want to see some hurt. How he said it may not have been the best way, but he’s basically letting the fans know that they all know they’ve underperformed and let them down, and he doesn’t quite feel the same pain as the people who are getting the train or the bus home.”

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Van Dijk was definitely hurting after Etihad humiliation

It was an eye-opening admission from Van Dijk that he felt Liverpool effectively surrendered once Man City were 4-0 to the good, with a clear sense that the players probably just wanted the full-time whistle to blow once Erling Haaland completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute.

We wouldn’t concur with Jagielka’s suggestion that the Reds captain wasn’t hurting afterwards – it’s apparent from his demeanour in post-match interviews that the catalogue of defeats his team have suffered this season have left him scarred and deflated.

If anything, it would’ve been a bigger insult to LFC fans if the defender had glossed over the painful result with empty platitudes – supporters would have a much greater appreciation for brutal honesty than patronising deflections from the reality that they witnessed with their own eyes.

What Van Dijk and his teammates must now do is respond with a wholly committed performance against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night, and indeed in every remaining match until the end of the campaign.

Elite footballers are obliged to carry out a certain degree of media duties, but the biggest statements of all are made on the pitch during a game and not in the mixed zone before or after it.

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