Rooney has blamed the senior players - including Van Dijk - for Liverpool's struggles this season.
But after victory over Aston Villa last night, Van Dijk responded stating: "I didn’t hear him last year.
"No, it doesn't hurt me to be honest. Just to come back to this particular player, obviously a legend, a big player of the game who inspired so many, I can say only positive things but I feel that comment is just I would say it's a bit of a lazy criticism.
"That's my personal opinion. It's easy to blame the other players but he knows obviously as well as everyone else we do it together trying to help each and every one of us to try to get out of this and, like I said as well, last year when things go well you don't hear that at all. It is what it is.
"(Pundits) have to do that job as well, so it is what it is. Like I said, he has an opinion and we have to deal with it. And there's no hard feelings, by the way. I don't take it personally whatsoever."
What happened last season?
Van Dijk added: "It's a funny thing, isn't it? Because last year we didn't hear anything about this, because obviously things were going well and we were seen as the leaders.
"And this year when things are not going as well as we want so far the last couple of weeks, then we're not doing our job properly. So that's the life we live. We feel that responsibility. We want to lead by example.
"I know that if we have not the best results or not great performances, then myself and the manager will definitely always be questioned. That's part and parcel. I want to perform, not for myself, but for the team, for the club.
"When there are difficult moments, I try to help my team-mates. When things don’t go well then that's the world we live in and people question loads.
"There are so many platforms nowadays that everyone can say whatever they like and it gets blown up.
"I've heard the reports as well about (Arne Slot) being under pressure and stuff, but I don't think we play at the club that do the rash decisions. We all felt, and I think you all can agree on that, that we can work our way out of this.
"Obviously it's not a guarantee, but we can do it together. As long as we believe, stay humble and keep working, I feel like we can do it, and we all have that feeling.
"We have to go on and I feel like internally there's no doubt that we can do this together."