🔗 Share this article A Fading Figure of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Grapples With Decline The unforgiving focus that has been trained on one global Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his struggles this campaign - and was relegated to the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive foundation as Liverpool have secured the complete set of top honors, whose dip in performance became the focus during the stalemate. The Seasoned Stars and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the notion of securing the futures to a veteran duo much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that standards have dropped worryingly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like a good return. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the sense of being untouchable he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner 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 conceded a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Summed Up The Problem It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before backing away and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that struck him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such proven caliber, 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 courted with his unusual failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just backs off. It's the mistake. 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 dominant, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating." Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be written off after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual commanding presence 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 lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the initiative. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure 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 outlier rather than the standard. A Team Lacking Inspiration Slot kept faith with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines. The Egyptian emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous 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 taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish. Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's excellent defensive sprint allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had beaten keeper Alisson. Credit Due and Looking Ahead Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to take a point 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, labored and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried minimal threat. 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 rewarded for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, assured 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 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 a case of going back to basics.
The unforgiving focus that has been trained on one global Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his struggles this campaign - and was relegated to the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive foundation as Liverpool have secured the complete set of top honors, whose dip in performance became the focus during the stalemate. The Seasoned Stars and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the notion of securing the futures to a veteran duo much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that standards have dropped worryingly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like a good return. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the sense of being untouchable he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner 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 conceded a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Summed Up The Problem It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before backing away and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that struck him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such proven caliber, 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 courted with his unusual failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just backs off. It's the mistake. 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 dominant, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating." Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be written off after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual commanding presence 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 lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the initiative. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure 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 outlier rather than the standard. A Team Lacking Inspiration Slot kept faith with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines. The Egyptian emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous 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 taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish. Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's excellent defensive sprint allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had beaten keeper Alisson. Credit Due and Looking Ahead Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to take a point 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, labored and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried minimal threat. 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 rewarded for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, assured 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 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 a case of going back to basics.