🔗 Share this article A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Fights Decline The glaring attention that has centered around one world-class Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's latest 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 the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of major prizes, whose struggles took center stage during the stalemate. The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of handing contracts to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that standards have dropped alarmingly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Major Overhaul Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee embarked on a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the sense of being untouchable he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his rash handball that gave away a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Summed Up The Issue It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before backing away and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such proven caliber, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment. Ill fortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just retreats. It's the mistake. 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 was impeccable. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's erring and hesitating." Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be written off after winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a illustrious Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual dominant persona this season, with the lowest recovery numbers per game during his Liverpool career, while tackles and interceptions are also down on last season. And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was missing here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the initiative. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an emergency striker, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the standard. A Team Devoid of Inspiration Slot persisted with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines. The Egyptian emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish. A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's outstanding recovery run allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had rounded keeper Alisson. Credit Due and The Road Forward Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to take a 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 sluggish, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has fallen apart. But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were proactive, confident and a genuine threat. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have grown into 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 glaring attention that has centered around one world-class Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's latest 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 the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of major prizes, whose struggles took center stage during the stalemate. The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of handing contracts to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that standards have dropped alarmingly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Major Overhaul Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee embarked on a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the sense of being untouchable he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his rash handball that gave away a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Summed Up The Issue It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before backing away and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such proven caliber, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment. Ill fortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just retreats. It's the mistake. 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 was impeccable. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's erring and hesitating." Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be written off after winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a illustrious Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual dominant persona this season, with the lowest recovery numbers per game during his Liverpool career, while tackles and interceptions are also down on last season. And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was missing here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the initiative. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an emergency striker, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the standard. A Team Devoid of Inspiration Slot persisted with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines. The Egyptian emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish. A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's outstanding recovery run allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had rounded keeper Alisson. Credit Due and The Road Forward Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to take a 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 sluggish, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has fallen apart. But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were proactive, confident and a genuine threat. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have grown into 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.