🔗 Share this article A Shadow of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Fights A Dip in Form The unforgiving spotlight that has been trained on one global Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the complete set of top honors, whose struggles became the focus during the stalemate. The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of handing contracts to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no denying the harsh truth that levels have fallen concerningly for both. A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department began a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like its worth. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the aura of invulnerability he has held since his £75m move 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 great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as proved by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Symbolized The Problem It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off 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 curious trait of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment. Misfortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his unusual failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. 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 was impeccable. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself." The Numbers and A Leadership Void 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 stellar Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual dominant persona this season, with the poest ball recovery rate 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 full of experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the initiative. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an emergency striker, was symptomatic of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the rule. Liverpool Without Inspiration 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 looked to 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 greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending. A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's excellent defensive sprint 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 fading champions ultimately had to take a 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 sluggish, labored and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried scant belief. 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 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, confident and threatening. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic 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 unforgiving spotlight that has been trained on one global Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night. Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday. But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the complete set of top honors, whose struggles became the focus during the stalemate. The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of handing contracts to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no denying the harsh truth that levels have fallen concerningly for both. A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department began a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like its worth. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the aura of invulnerability he has held since his £75m move 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 great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as proved by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Symbolized The Problem It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off 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 curious trait of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment. Misfortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his unusual failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. 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 was impeccable. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself." The Numbers and A Leadership Void 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 stellar Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual dominant persona this season, with the poest ball recovery rate 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 full of experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the initiative. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an emergency striker, was symptomatic of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the rule. Liverpool Without Inspiration 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 looked to 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 greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending. A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's excellent defensive sprint 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 fading champions ultimately had to take a 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 sluggish, labored and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried scant belief. 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 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, confident and threatening. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic 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.