Liverpool boss Arne Slot has called out Michael Owen after captain Virgil van Dijk scoffed at his question following the Merseyside derby win over Everton on Wednesday.
Diogo Jota scored the only goal of the game at Anfield to move Liverpool a step closer to the Premier League but Van Dijk's response to former Liverpool striker Owen hit headlines.
The Dutchman spoke to Owen for Premier League Productions and the ex England star brought up cup exits to Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United and asked about the disappointment after feeling as though the season was "building into something really special".
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But with Liverpool well on course to lift the Premier League for just the second time in their history, Van Dijk did not like the comment and said, "So you’re suggesting the season is not going to be special any more?"
After Owen attempted to clarify his remark, where he suggested the losses left a "bitter taste", the former Southampton man added that "it is still a possibility that this season will be very, very special".
Slot was similarly confused by what Owen said and in his press conference previewing Liverpool's trip to Fulham on Sunday, branded the question "strong".
Slot responds to Michael Owen comment which irked Virgil Van Dijk
He stated: "Let me understand it right, Virgil was a bit frustrated because it came across as it's not enough to 'only' win the Premier League? Michael (Owen) played for us, didn't he? So he is aware of the fact that in 35 years we won the league once?
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"There is your answer. If you can win the league with this club then, phew, nothing else matters. If you do it 10 times in a row then I could understand that people say, 'Oh but you only win the Premier League'.
"At this club, you can compete for it and let alone win it, then it is a strange question to ask in my opinion. If Virgil has this opinion as well then I agree with him. I follow the Dutch media a bit more than the media here and... no, let's leave it!"
With the improvement in quality, the former Feyenoord boss claimed the "league is better than it ever was" and "so any more teams have so many more good players".
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He also said that some players in the teams in the relegation spots are good enough "to play for City, for Arsenal, for us, for Chelsea and these types of teams".
Liverpool have taken 73 points from 30 games, winning 22 games and drawing seven. Their only loss came early in the season against Nottingham Forest, who are flying in third under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Topics: Virgil Van Dijk, Liverpool, Michael Owen, Arne Slot
Josh Lawless