🔗 Share this article A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Fights A Dip in Form The glaring spotlight that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night. The Egyptian forward has come under fire for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the complete set of top honors, whose struggles became the focus during the 1-1 draw. The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the idea of handing contracts to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. In fact, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that performance has dipped alarmingly for both. A Leaky Defense and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department began a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like value for money. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Summed Up The Problem It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before backing away and turning away on a 25-yard shot that deflected off 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 his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment. Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating." The Numbers and A Leadership Void As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after winning 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 dominant persona this season, with the worst recoveries 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 packed with experience, it was missing here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked bewildered to take control by the throat. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the standard. Liverpool Without Spark Slot persisted 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 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 deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending. Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment 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 dribbled past keeper Alisson. Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to accept the point 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 lethargic, labored and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Showings like this are the reason their defense of their crown 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 notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were positive, self-believing 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 grown into life in the Premier League that they will be disappointed 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 spotlight that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night. The Egyptian forward has come under fire for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the complete set of top honors, whose struggles became the focus during the 1-1 draw. The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the idea of handing contracts to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. In fact, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that performance has dipped alarmingly for both. A Leaky Defense and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department began a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like value for money. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Summed Up The Problem It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before backing away and turning away on a 25-yard shot that deflected off 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 his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment. Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating." The Numbers and A Leadership Void As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after winning 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 dominant persona this season, with the worst recoveries 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 packed with experience, it was missing here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked bewildered to take control by the throat. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the standard. Liverpool Without Spark Slot persisted 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 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 deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending. Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment 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 dribbled past keeper Alisson. Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to accept the point 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 lethargic, labored and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Showings like this are the reason their defense of their crown 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 notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were positive, self-believing 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 grown into life in the Premier League that they will be disappointed they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is a case of going back to basics.