Winger James Milner shocked Liverpool fans after he got into a fight with fellow Dutch defense pole Virgil van Dijk, after Jaydon Sancho opened the scoring in Manchester United’s 2-1 victory over the “Reds”, in the third stage of the English Premier League on Monday.
It was clear that Milner (36 years old) directed obscene words to the Dutch international defender, asking him to advance to defend Sancho, who manipulated him, after he slipped to the ground with a wonderful movement inside the penalty area and hit a creeping ground ball that deceived Brazilian goalkeeper Alison Becker and put the “Red Devils” in front in the 16th minute .
Van Dijk contented himself with maintaining his position at the edge of the six-yard area in front of Becker, instead of rushing to close the space provided by Sancho, and placing his hands behind his back to avoid a handball and a penalty kick.
Milner considered that his Dutch colleague should have tried to narrow the angle in front of the England winger, while Van Dijk did not get close enough to block his shot, so he appeared shouting at him, “Look at me”, asking him to do his defensive work.
Milner-Van Dyck’s “conflict” did not stop there, as the dispute between them extended throughout the match and they appeared to exchange shouting repeatedly, in a match during which Liverpool gasped to make up for its two-goal delay without success.
Sky Sports analyst Roy Keane, former United Irish midfielder, questioned what happened between the players, saying that “it’s not normal”, saying at half-time: “If you analyze Van Dijk here… he’s been bad this season. He should come out!” He should move his feet. Just look at him here!”
“I would be concerned if I were instead of (German coach Jurgen) Klopp with what I saw tonight,” the former United captain added.
“Defensively (they were) very average. Going back to the Fulham game, Van Dijk even during the evening against Palace, I thought he could have done better.”
“Tonight, we made the point about his argument with James Milner, I know that could happen but it seems like it’s a little more than that. More than just an ordinary disagreement with a player.”
Send him to Leeds.
Indeed, since the start of the current season, Van Dijk, who joined Liverpool in 2018 for 75 million pounds, after a draw against Fulham and Crystal Palace, has been criticized, first for causing a penalty in the first match and then for not watching Ivory Coast Wilfried Zaha, before the latter gave the Eagles progress. In the second at Anfield.
The words of the current “Sky Sports” commentator did not appeal to former Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher about his colleague Kane, as he said with the second half unfolding, “There is something going on between James Milner and Virgil van Dijk.”
“They keep yelling at each other for about 10 or 15 seconds,” he added.
And he added, “Obviously there is a lot of frustration on the field, and he is right about that. Milner is angry with him after the first goal and he continues to do so until now.”
Carragher described his former team’s defense as “shameful” after it failed to achieve its first win this season after two draws.
On the other hand, reactions on social media varied about what happened, with one of them writing, “Well done Milner, Virgil Van Dyck started the season awfully!!!”.
Another added, “To be honest, the way Virgil van Dijk’s defense is very bad, he should have thrown himself to block that ball.”
Milner was also not immune from harsh criticism, with one angry fan writing “…shocking defense from Milner and Virgil van Dyck” and “Jadon Sancho sent James Milner to Leeds (his debut team) with this move. So cold”.