🔗 Share this article A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Grapples With Decline The unforgiving focus that has fallen upon one global Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night. Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his subpar performances this season - and was relegated to the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday. But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of top honors, whose poor form took center stage during the stalemate. The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of securing the futures 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 escaping the harsh truth that performance has dipped worryingly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee embarked on a £450m summer refit that has still to demonstrate anything like a good return. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the sense of being untouchable he has held since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as proved by his panic-stricken handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Symbolized The Struggle It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before retreating 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 undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage. Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his atypical failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "Van Dijk surrenders possession 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 was faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself." Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be dismissed 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 pale imitation of his usual commanding presence 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 absent here. No-one was inspiring 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 last resort of acting as an emergency striker, was indicative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the standard. Liverpool Without Spark Slot stayed 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 emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after opening his account 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 been turned in 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 rounded keeper Alisson. Credit Due and The Road Forward Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to settle for a draw 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, unimaginative and lacking in ideas. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has collapsed. But huge credit for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, confident and dangerous. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 a case of going back to basics.
The unforgiving focus that has fallen upon one global Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night. Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his subpar performances this season - and was relegated to the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday. But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of top honors, whose poor form took center stage during the stalemate. The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of securing the futures 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 escaping the harsh truth that performance has dipped worryingly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee embarked on a £450m summer refit that has still to demonstrate anything like a good return. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the sense of being untouchable he has held since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as proved by his panic-stricken handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Symbolized The Struggle It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before retreating 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 undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage. Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his atypical failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "Van Dijk surrenders possession 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 was faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself." Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be dismissed 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 pale imitation of his usual commanding presence 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 absent here. No-one was inspiring 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 last resort of acting as an emergency striker, was indicative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the standard. Liverpool Without Spark Slot stayed 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 emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after opening his account 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 been turned in 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 rounded keeper Alisson. Credit Due and The Road Forward Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to settle for a draw 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, unimaginative and lacking in ideas. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has collapsed. But huge credit for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, confident and dangerous. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 a case of going back to basics.