🔗 Share this article A Diminished Presence of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Grapples With A Dip in Form The intense spotlight that has centered around one world-class Liverpool legend shifted to another on Anfield's most recent frustrating night. Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this campaign - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have swept up the array of major trophies, whose struggles took center stage during the draw. The Seasoned Stars and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of handing contracts to a seasoned pair much approaching the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the stark fact that standards have dropped alarmingly for both. A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like a good return. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the air of invincibility he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as proved by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Summed Up The Struggle It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his unusual failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just backs 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's making mistakes and hesitating." Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be discarded after winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a stellar 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 full of experience, it was absent here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an emergency striker, was symptomatic of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard. A Team Devoid of Spark Slot stayed with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more starting on the sidelines. The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after opening his account 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. Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 beaten keeper Alisson. Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to take a 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 lethargic, labored and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has fallen apart. But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were proactive, self-believing and dangerous. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling of the manner in which they have embraced life in the Premier League that they will be unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.
The intense spotlight that has centered around one world-class Liverpool legend shifted to another on Anfield's most recent frustrating night. Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this campaign - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have swept up the array of major trophies, whose struggles took center stage during the draw. The Seasoned Stars and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of handing contracts to a seasoned pair much approaching the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the stark fact that standards have dropped alarmingly for both. A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like a good return. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the air of invincibility he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as proved by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Summed Up The Struggle It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his unusual failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just backs 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's making mistakes and hesitating." Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be discarded after winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a stellar 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 full of experience, it was absent here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an emergency striker, was symptomatic of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard. A Team Devoid of Spark Slot stayed with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more starting on the sidelines. The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after opening his account 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. Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 beaten keeper Alisson. Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to take a 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 lethargic, labored and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has fallen apart. But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were proactive, self-believing and dangerous. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling of the manner in which they have embraced life in the Premier League that they will be unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.