🔗 Share this article A Diminished Presence of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Fights A Dip in Form The glaring focus that has centered around one world-class Liverpool icon switched to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night. Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was placed on the substitutes' bench for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the array of major prizes, whose dip in performance took center stage during the stalemate. The Experienced Pair and New Deals Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the notion of handing contracts to a veteran duo much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the harsh truth that standards have dropped concerningly for both. A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like a good return. Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has held since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the renowned star has also fought his own battles, as highlighted by his desperate 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 captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off 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 unusual habit of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his unusual failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's erring and second-guessing himself." The Numbers and A Leadership Void As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be written off after winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered 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 emergency striker, was symptomatic of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm. 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 was introduced 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 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 been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish. A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat 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 struggling title-holders ultimately had to accept the 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 lethargic, unimaginative and devoid of creativity. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title 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 serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were proactive, confident and dangerous. 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 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 glaring focus that has centered around one world-class Liverpool icon switched to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night. Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was placed on the substitutes' bench for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the array of major prizes, whose dip in performance took center stage during the stalemate. The Experienced Pair and New Deals Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the notion of handing contracts to a veteran duo much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the harsh truth that standards have dropped concerningly for both. A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like a good return. Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has held since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the renowned star has also fought his own battles, as highlighted by his desperate 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 captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off 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 unusual habit of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his unusual failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's erring and second-guessing himself." The Numbers and A Leadership Void As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be written off after winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered 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 emergency striker, was symptomatic of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm. 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 was introduced 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 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 been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish. A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat 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 struggling title-holders ultimately had to accept the 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 lethargic, unimaginative and devoid of creativity. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title 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 serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were proactive, confident and dangerous. 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 unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is a case of going back to basics.