🔗 Share this article A Fading Figure of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With A Dip in Form The intense focus that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the array of major prizes, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the stalemate. The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of offering extensions to a veteran duo much closer to the end of their careers than the start. In fact, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that levels have fallen concerningly for both. A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department began a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like a good return. Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to shed the sense of being untouchable he has possessed since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as proved by his rash handball that gave away a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Encapsulated The Struggle It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk losing possession before standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that struck him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage. Bad luck at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising. "Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just retreats. It's the wrong decision. He needs to go to the ball. Him not making the decision means that no one else knows what to do." "Virgil Van Dijk last season couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself." The Numbers and Missing Leadership As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be discarded after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual imperious self this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions are also down on last season. And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the initiative. Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an emergency striker, was indicative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the rule. A Team Without Inspiration Slot persisted with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines. The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous after opening his account with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under increased scrutiny had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending. Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's superb tracking back allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had rounded keeper Alisson. Praise Deserved and The Road Forward Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to accept the point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky to turn Trai Hume's shot onto the bar in the first half before Omar Alderete headed against the post after the interval. Liverpool were slow, ponderous and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Displays like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has fallen apart. But huge credit for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, assured and dangerous. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have embraced life in the Premier League that they will be disappointed they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.
The intense focus that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the array of major prizes, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the stalemate. The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of offering extensions to a veteran duo much closer to the end of their careers than the start. In fact, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that levels have fallen concerningly for both. A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department began a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like a good return. Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to shed the sense of being untouchable he has possessed since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as proved by his rash handball that gave away a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Encapsulated The Struggle It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk losing possession before standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that struck him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage. Bad luck at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising. "Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just retreats. It's the wrong decision. He needs to go to the ball. Him not making the decision means that no one else knows what to do." "Virgil Van Dijk last season couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself." The Numbers and Missing Leadership As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be discarded after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual imperious self this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions are also down on last season. And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the initiative. Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an emergency striker, was indicative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the rule. A Team Without Inspiration Slot persisted with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines. The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous after opening his account with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under increased scrutiny had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending. Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's superb tracking back allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had rounded keeper Alisson. Praise Deserved and The Road Forward Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to accept the point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky to turn Trai Hume's shot onto the bar in the first half before Omar Alderete headed against the post after the interval. Liverpool were slow, ponderous and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Displays like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has fallen apart. But huge credit for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, assured and dangerous. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have embraced life in the Premier League that they will be disappointed they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.