🔗 Share this article A Shadow of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Fights Waning Influence The intense spotlight that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool great switched to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night. Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the bench for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the array of major trophies, whose poor form became the focus during the stalemate. The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool eyebrow raised at the notion of handing contracts to a veteran duo much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. In fact, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no escaping the stark fact that standards have dropped worryingly for both. A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like its worth. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the sense of being untouchable he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the renowned star has also fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his rash handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Symbolized The Problem It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk losing possession before retreating and turning away on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment. Ill fortune at the conclusion, 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 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 was faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's erring and hesitating." The Numbers 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 glittering Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual dominant persona this season, with the lowest recovery numbers 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 brimming with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked bewildered to take control by the throat. Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an emergency striker, 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 Lacking Ideas 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 never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after opening his account 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 grandstand finish. Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 dribbled past keeper Alisson. Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to settle for a draw 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 sluggish, labored and devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has crumbled. But huge credit 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 fine work of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, confident and dangerous. 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 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 intense spotlight that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool great switched to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night. Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the bench for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the array of major trophies, whose poor form became the focus during the stalemate. The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool eyebrow raised at the notion of handing contracts to a veteran duo much nearer to the end of their careers than the start. In fact, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no escaping the stark fact that standards have dropped worryingly for both. A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like its worth. At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the sense of being untouchable he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the renowned star has also fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his rash handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. An Incident That Symbolized The Problem It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk losing possession before retreating and turning away on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment. Ill fortune at the conclusion, 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 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 was faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's erring and hesitating." The Numbers 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 glittering Liverpool career. He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual dominant persona this season, with the lowest recovery numbers 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 brimming with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked bewildered to take control by the throat. Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an emergency striker, 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 Lacking Ideas 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 never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after opening his account 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 grandstand finish. Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 dribbled past keeper Alisson. Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to settle for a draw 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 sluggish, labored and devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has crumbled. But huge credit 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 fine work of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, confident and dangerous. 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 unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally. For Slot and Liverpool, it is a case of going back to basics.