Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk insists he was not being arrogant in dismissing Manchester United‘s overly defensive display at Anfield.

The Dutchman provoked a response from former United midfielder Roy Keane when he said only one team played to win.

Keane said the comments were arrogant and disrespectful, adding: ‘He needs a reminder himself; he’s playing for a club that have won the title once in 30-odd years.’

Van Dijk insisted there was honesty but no arrogance in his words on a frustrating afternoon where Liverpool had 34 shots but failed to score for the first time since April.

‘I like Roy Keane, if he said that then it’s fine,’ he said.

Virgil van Dijk has hit back at Roy Keane’s claims that he had ‘disrespected’ Manchester United

Keane had accused Liverpool’s captain of being arrogant with his post-match comments

"Liverpool had opportunities and they didn't take them, that's their own fault, nothing to do with Manchester United."

Roy Keane was not a fan of Virgil van Dijk saying Liverpool were the only side that were trying to win 😳 pic.twitter.com/ktmQuQb10x

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 17, 2023

‘He is Man United throughout and I understand he could react like that but I felt what I said and there is absolutely no arrogance that.

‘Everyone who watched the game probably felt the same. We move on. We had the opportunity and we couldn’t score and that’s the frustrating part.’

For the first time since April Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to score, ending a club record-equalling run of 34 successive matches, and the 34 shots they attempted was their most on record (since 2003-04) without scoring.

Striker Darwin Nunez has not found the net in 10 matches, Mohamed Salah, who scored 10 in 12 league games before November’s international break, has just one in the last five, Luis Diaz has scored once in the league since mid-August while Cody Gakpo’s two league goals were both in September.

December is the worst time to lose your form with the number of fixtures during the month and Van Dijk admits the players may have been trying just too hard against their arch-rivals.

‘Maybe (we were) trying to force it a little bit at times and we could have made a better decision but it was hard to break the low block down,’ he added.

‘You push, you push, you push and try to do everything in your power but it was one of those days we couldn’t find the right decision to score a goal.

The Reds defender insisted ‘only one team was trying to win the game’ at Anfield on Sunday

Keane debated the defender’s comments live on air with ex-Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge

But the Dutchman has subsequently claimed that there was ‘no arrogance’ in his comments