🔗 Share this article A Diminished Presence of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Fights A Dip in Form The intense attention that has fallen upon one global Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night. The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his subpar performances this campaign - and was placed on the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have collected the array of top honors, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the draw. The Experienced Pair 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 prospect of securing the futures to a seasoned pair much closer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that levels have fallen alarmingly for both. Backline Issues and A Major Overhaul Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like its worth. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to shed the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner 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 highlighted by his panic-stricken handball that gave away a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Moment That Summed Up The Issue It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before backing away and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit him and floated 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 disadvantage. Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 slipping up and hesitating." Performance Metrics and Missing Leadership As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after claiming 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 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 brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the initiative. Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an makeshift forward, was representative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm. A Team Without Spark Slot persisted with the side that ended 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 pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It never came, 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 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 thrilling finale. Stoppage-time tension 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 The Road Forward Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to settle for a draw knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky 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, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has crumbled. But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, self-believing and threatening. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 intense attention that has fallen upon one global Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night. The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his subpar performances this campaign - and was placed on the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have collected the array of top honors, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the draw. The Experienced Pair 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 prospect of securing the futures to a seasoned pair much closer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that levels have fallen alarmingly for both. Backline Issues and A Major Overhaul Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like its worth. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to shed the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner 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 highlighted by his panic-stricken handball that gave away a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Moment That Summed Up The Issue It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before backing away and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit him and floated 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 disadvantage. Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 slipping up and hesitating." Performance Metrics and Missing Leadership As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after claiming 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 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 brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the initiative. Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an makeshift forward, was representative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm. A Team Without Spark Slot persisted with the side that ended 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 pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It never came, 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 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 thrilling finale. Stoppage-time tension 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 The Road Forward Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to settle for a draw knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky 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, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has crumbled. But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, self-believing and threatening. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling of the manner in which they have adapted to 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.