🔗 Share this article A Fading Figure of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With A Dip in Form The intense attention that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool icon shifted to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night. The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his poor form this campaign - and was relegated to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the complete set of major trophies, whose poor form took center stage during the 1-1 draw. The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the notion of handing contracts to a veteran duo much closer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the harsh truth that standards have dropped worryingly for both. Backline Issues and Summer Spending Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee embarked on a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to lose the sense of being untouchable he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as proved by his desperate handball that gave away a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Encapsulated The Struggle It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before backing away and averting his body 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 curious trait of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "Van Dijk surrenders possession 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 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 pedigree must not be dismissed 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 faded version of his usual commanding presence this season, with the worst recoveries 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 sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the rule. Liverpool Lacking Spark Slot kept faith with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines. The Egyptian was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after scoring his first with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under greater 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. Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment 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 beaten keeper Alisson. Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead Slot and his fading champions 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 lethargic, labored and devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart. But full acknowledgment 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 excellent coaching 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 indicative of the manner in which they have grown into 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 back to the drawing board.
The intense attention that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool icon shifted to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night. The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his poor form this campaign - and was relegated to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the complete set of major trophies, whose poor form took center stage during the 1-1 draw. The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the notion of handing contracts to a veteran duo much closer to the end of their careers than the start. Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the harsh truth that standards have dropped worryingly for both. Backline Issues and Summer Spending Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee embarked on a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to lose the sense of being untouchable he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as proved by his desperate handball that gave away a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Encapsulated The Struggle It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before backing away and averting his body 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 curious trait of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage. "Van Dijk surrenders possession 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 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 pedigree must not be dismissed 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 faded version of his usual commanding presence this season, with the worst recoveries 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 sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the rule. Liverpool Lacking Spark Slot kept faith with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines. The Egyptian was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after scoring his first with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday. Slot would have been under greater 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. Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment 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 beaten keeper Alisson. Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead Slot and his fading champions 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 lethargic, labored and devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart. But full acknowledgment 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 excellent coaching 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 indicative of the manner in which they have grown into 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 back to the drawing board.