Rooney says struggling Liverpool lack leadership

Former England international Wayne Rooney claims that his team, defending champions Liverpool, is having a difficult season due to a lack of leadership.

The Reds are seven points clear of Arsenal as they lose four straight Premier League games.

Arne Slot’s side were thoroughly outplayed after being defeated by Brentford 3-2 on Saturday in a precarious opening nine league games against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, and Manchester United.

The five-time Premier League champion said the body language of Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk and talismanic forward Mohamed Salah during their troubled spell was a “big concern.”

The manager and the team’s leaders must figure it out very quickly at this time.

Despite signing new deals, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have not, in my opinion, been truly in charge of that team this season.

“I believe body language reveals a lot about you, and I believe we are actually witnessing slightly different body language between the two of you.” If one of the top two players on that team’s roster uses inappropriate body language, everyone else will be affected.

Arsenal, who finished second for the past three seasons, appear to be in good shape to win the title, in contrast to Liverpool’s issues.

With three straight clean sheets, Mikel Arteta’s side have won the league’s matchups, winning 1-0 over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Rooney, the record-scorer for Manchester United, said, “The squad is good enough now, and I think they’ve had the experiences that brought them close,” but I believe they’re ready for it.

With a 4-2 victory over Brighton, Rooney’s former club are also experiencing a resurgence, moving them up to sixth place on points with Manchester City and one clear of Liverpool.

Bryan Mbeumo, a forward, has scored three of his five goals in the last two games, a part of that success.

Rooney said the 26-year-old Cameroon international is now living up to expectations despite admitting he was unsure when United signed him from Brentford for £65 million in the summer.

You need him to be a United player, and he has what his energy, work-rate, and desire are. I admitted to being a little unsure, but I believe what he’s shown is that he belongs there, Rooney added.