🔗 Share this article A Diminished Presence of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Battles Decline The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one global Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's most recent desperate night. The Egyptian forward has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was relegated to the substitutes' bench for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the complete set of major prizes, whose struggles took center stage during the 1-1 draw. The Seasoned Stars and New Deals Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool concern voiced at the idea of handing contracts to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start. Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that performance has dipped concerningly for both. Backline Issues and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like its worth. Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to lose the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the renowned star has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Summed Up The Problem It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an curious trait of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising. "Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just retreats. It's the incorrect choice. 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 doubting himself." Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be dismissed after claiming 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 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 preserve alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to take control by the throat. 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 horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm. Liverpool Lacking Ideas Slot stayed with the side that stopped 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 looked to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after scoring his first 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 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 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. Credit Due and The Road Forward Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to settle for a draw knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson blessed 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, unimaginative and devoid of creativity. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has fallen apart. 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 proactive, self-believing and a genuine threat. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 back to the drawing board.
The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one global Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's most recent desperate night. The Egyptian forward has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was relegated to the substitutes' bench for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the complete set of major prizes, whose struggles took center stage during the 1-1 draw. The Seasoned Stars and New Deals Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool concern voiced at the idea of handing contracts to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start. Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that performance has dipped concerningly for both. Backline Issues and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like its worth. Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to lose the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the renowned star has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Summed Up The Problem It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an curious trait of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising. "Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just retreats. It's the incorrect choice. 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 doubting himself." Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be dismissed after claiming 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 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 preserve alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to take control by the throat. 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 horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm. Liverpool Lacking Ideas Slot stayed with the side that stopped 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 looked to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after scoring his first 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 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 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. Credit Due and The Road Forward Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to settle for a draw knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson blessed 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, unimaginative and devoid of creativity. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has fallen apart. 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 proactive, self-believing and a genuine threat. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 back to the drawing board.