🔗 Share this article A Shadow of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Fights Waning Influence The glaring attention that has been trained on one global Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night. Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form this campaign - and was relegated to the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the array of major prizes, whose struggles came under the microscope during the stalemate. The Seasoned Stars and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the idea of securing the futures to a veteran duo much approaching the end of their careers than the start. Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no avoiding the stark fact that standards have dropped alarmingly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like its worth. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to lose the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as proved by his desperate handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Summed Up 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 turning away on a 25-yard shot that struck him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such proven caliber, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Ill fortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just drops off. 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 dominant, but right now he's slipping up and doubting himself." The Numbers 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 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the throat. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an emergency striker, was indicative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm. A Team Devoid of Ideas 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 came on at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, 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 deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale. A late scare 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. Credit Due and The Road Forward Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to accept the 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, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried scant belief. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has fallen apart. But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, self-believing and dangerous. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling 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 a case of going back to basics.
The glaring attention that has been trained on one global Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night. Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form this campaign - and was relegated to the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday. But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the array of major prizes, whose struggles came under the microscope during the stalemate. The Seasoned Stars and Renewed Terms Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the idea of securing the futures to a veteran duo much approaching the end of their careers than the start. Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no avoiding the stark fact that standards have dropped alarmingly for both. Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like its worth. Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to lose the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018. Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as proved by his desperate handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield. A Sequence That Summed Up 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 turning away on a 25-yard shot that struck him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson. For a defender of such proven caliber, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost. Ill fortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment. "Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just drops off. 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 dominant, but right now he's slipping up and doubting himself." The Numbers 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 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the throat. Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an emergency striker, was indicative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm. A Team Devoid of Ideas 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 came on at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, 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 deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale. A late scare 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. Credit Due and The Road Forward Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to accept the 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, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried scant belief. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has fallen apart. But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris. The Black Cats were adventurous, self-believing and dangerous. Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling 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 a case of going back to basics.