🔗 Share this article A Shadow of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Battles Decline The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of top honors, whose struggles took center stage during the draw. The Experienced Pair and New Deals Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the idea of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much approaching the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no denying the stark fact that performance has dipped alarmingly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and Summer Spending Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook a £450m summer refit that has yet to prove anything like value for money. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Encapsulated The Struggle It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk losing possession before standing off and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that hit him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just drops off. 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 was impeccable. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's erring and second-guessing himself." Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command 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 stellar Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual imperious self this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while key defensive stats 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 missing here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the standard. A Side Lacking Ideas Slot kept faith with the side that halted a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more observing from the sidelines. The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under even more pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale. A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat 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 fading champions ultimately had to accept the point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson fortunate 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, labored and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled. But huge credit for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were proactive, assured 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 embraced life in the Premier League that they will be frustrated they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is time for reflection.
The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of top honors, whose struggles took center stage during the draw. The Experienced Pair and New Deals Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the idea of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much approaching the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no denying the stark fact that performance has dipped alarmingly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and Summer Spending Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook a £450m summer refit that has yet to prove anything like value for money. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Encapsulated The Struggle It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk losing possession before standing off and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that hit him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just drops off. 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 was impeccable. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's erring and second-guessing himself." Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command 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 stellar Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual imperious self this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while key defensive stats 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 missing here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the standard. A Side Lacking Ideas Slot kept faith with the side that halted a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more observing from the sidelines. The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under even more pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale. A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat 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 fading champions ultimately had to accept the point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson fortunate 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, labored and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled. But huge credit for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were proactive, assured 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 embraced life in the Premier League that they will be frustrated they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is time for reflection.