🔗 Share this article A Fading Figure of His Imperious Self - Liverpool's Captain Battles Decline The glaring spotlight that has been trained on one elite Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this campaign - and was placed on the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday. But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the array of top honors, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the draw. The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the idea of securing the futures to a experienced stars much approaching the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the stark fact that performance has dipped worryingly for both. Backline Issues and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team began a £450m summer refit that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as proved by his panic-stricken handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Moment That Encapsulated The Issue It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before retreating 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 unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage. Bad luck at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his atypical failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's erring and doubting himself." Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void 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 glittering Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual dominant persona this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while key defensive stats are also down on last season. And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's preserve alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was missing here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an emergency striker, was symptomatic of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm. Liverpool Devoid of Spark 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 came on at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under increased scrutiny had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending. 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 Looking Ahead Slot and his fading champions 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 sluggish, ponderous and devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled. But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were positive, self-believing and dangerous. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic of the manner in which they have grown into 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 time for reflection.
The glaring spotlight that has been trained on one elite Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this campaign - and was placed on the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday. But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the array of top honors, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the draw. The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the idea of securing the futures to a experienced stars much approaching the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the stark fact that performance has dipped worryingly for both. Backline Issues and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team began a £450m summer refit that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as proved by his panic-stricken handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Moment That Encapsulated The Issue It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before retreating 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 unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage. Bad luck at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his atypical failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's erring and doubting himself." Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void 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 glittering Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual dominant persona this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while key defensive stats are also down on last season. And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's preserve alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was missing here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an emergency striker, was symptomatic of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm. Liverpool Devoid of Spark 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 came on at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under increased scrutiny had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending. 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 Looking Ahead Slot and his fading champions 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 sluggish, ponderous and devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled. But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were positive, self-believing and dangerous. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic of the manner in which they have grown into 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 time for reflection.