🔗 Share this article A Shadow of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With Decline The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his poor form this campaign - and was placed on the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the array of major prizes, whose poor form became the focus during the draw. The Veteran Duo and New Deals Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the idea of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much closer to the end of their careers than the start. In fact, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the harsh truth that standards have dropped alarmingly for both. Backline Issues and A Major Overhaul 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 value for money. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, 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 Struggle It was encapsulated 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 deflected off 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. Misfortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising. "Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just drops off. 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 dominant, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself." Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree 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 imperious self this season, with the worst recoveries per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions 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 missing here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked lost 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 indicative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard. A Team Without Inspiration Slot kept faith with the side that halted 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 pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet 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 dramatic ending. Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat 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 settle for a draw knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson fortunate 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 short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has collapsed. But full acknowledgment 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 threatening. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 unforgiving attention that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his poor form this campaign - and was placed on the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the array of major prizes, whose poor form became the focus during the draw. The Veteran Duo and New Deals Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the idea of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much closer to the end of their careers than the start. In fact, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the harsh truth that standards have dropped alarmingly for both. Backline Issues and A Major Overhaul 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 value for money. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, 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 Struggle It was encapsulated 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 deflected off 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. Misfortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising. "Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just drops off. 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 dominant, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself." Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree 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 imperious self this season, with the worst recoveries per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions 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 missing here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked lost 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 indicative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard. A Team Without Inspiration Slot kept faith with the side that halted 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 pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet 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 dramatic ending. Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat 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 settle for a draw knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson fortunate 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 short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has collapsed. But full acknowledgment 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 threatening. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have adapted to 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.