🔗 Share this article A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Grapples With A Dip in Form The intense focus that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool icon switched to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night. Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the bench for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday. But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have collected the full collection of major trophies, whose struggles came under the microscope during the 1-1 draw. The Experienced Pair and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that standards have dropped alarmingly for both. A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer rebuild that has still to demonstrate anything like a good return. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the renowned star has also had significant difficulties, as highlighted by his desperate handball that conceded a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Encapsulated The Issue It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that struck him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment. Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his atypical failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. 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 dominant, but right now he's making mistakes and hesitating." Performance Metrics and Missing Leadership As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a illustrious Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual commanding presence 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was missing here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked clueless 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 last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the rule. Liverpool Lacking Ideas Slot stayed with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more observing from the sidelines. The Egyptian emerged 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 ineffective 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 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 superb tracking back allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had rounded keeper Alisson. Credit Due and The Road Forward Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to take a 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 slow, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Performances 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 clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, 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 back to the drawing board.
The intense focus that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool icon switched to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night. Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the bench for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday. But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have collected the full collection of major trophies, whose struggles came under the microscope during the 1-1 draw. The Experienced Pair and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that standards have dropped alarmingly for both. A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer rebuild that has still to demonstrate anything like a good return. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the renowned star has also had significant difficulties, as highlighted by his desperate handball that conceded a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Encapsulated The Issue It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that struck him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment. Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his atypical failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. 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 dominant, but right now he's making mistakes and hesitating." Performance Metrics and Missing Leadership As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a illustrious Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual commanding presence 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was missing here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked clueless 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 last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the rule. Liverpool Lacking Ideas Slot stayed with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more observing from the sidelines. The Egyptian emerged 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 ineffective 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 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 superb tracking back allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had rounded keeper Alisson. Credit Due and The Road Forward Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to take a 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 slow, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Performances 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 clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, 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 back to the drawing board.