Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk has taken aim at repeated criticism for the "sake of saying it" - but admitted that dealing with it this season has not always been easy.
The Dutch central defender has been lauded for his vital Reds contributions in recent years but in this campaign, his form has suffered in conjunction with the disappointing showings from Jurgen Klopp's side. Despite their poor form throughout, they managed to salvage European football finishing fifth - their worst in a full season since the German took charge.
Some of the performances led to chastening results, particularly on their travels which compounded the misery for Liverpool and in particular, their defence. But the criticism hasn't stopped in the English top-flight for Van Dijk as he has been subject to critical assessments on the international stage - in particular from Dutch icons.
