🔗 Share this article A Shadow of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Fights Waning Influence The intense spotlight that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night. Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his struggles this season - and was placed on the bench for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have collected the complete set of major prizes, whose struggles became the focus during the stalemate. The Experienced Pair and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of securing the futures to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no avoiding the harsh truth that performance has dipped worryingly for both. Backline Issues and Summer Spending Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee embarked on a £450m summer refit that has not yet shown anything like value for money. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also had significant difficulties, as highlighted by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Summed Up The Problem It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that hit him and floated 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 conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "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 faultless. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's making mistakes and second-guessing himself." Statistical Decline 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 illustrious 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 tackles and interceptions 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 missing here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the initiative. Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an makeshift forward, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the rule. A Team Lacking Ideas Slot kept faith 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 was introduced 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 ineffective after scoring his first with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under increased scrutiny had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale. Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 beaten 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 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 lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart. But full acknowledgment 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 fine work of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were positive, confident and dangerous. 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 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 intense spotlight that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night. Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his struggles this season - and was placed on the bench for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have collected the complete set of major prizes, whose struggles became the focus during the stalemate. The Experienced Pair and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of securing the futures to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no avoiding the harsh truth that performance has dipped worryingly for both. Backline Issues and Summer Spending Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee embarked on a £450m summer refit that has not yet shown anything like value for money. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also had significant difficulties, as highlighted by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Summed Up The Problem It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that hit him and floated 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 conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "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 faultless. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's making mistakes and second-guessing himself." Statistical Decline 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 illustrious 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 tackles and interceptions 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 missing here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the initiative. Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an makeshift forward, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the rule. A Team Lacking Ideas Slot kept faith 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 was introduced 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 ineffective after scoring his first with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under increased scrutiny had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale. Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 beaten 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 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 lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart. But full acknowledgment 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 fine work of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were positive, confident and dangerous. 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 unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is a case of going back to basics.