A shadow of his imperious self – Van Dijk fights decline
The fierce spotlight that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield’s latest desperate night.
Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this season – and was consigned to the substitutes’ bench for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday.
But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have swept up the full collection of major prizes, whose poor form became the focus of attention during the 1-1 draw.
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed 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 closer to the end of their careers than the start.
Indeed, it was a cause of celebration – but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that standards have dropped alarmingly for both.
Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club’s recruitment team embarked on a £450m summer refit that has yet to prove anything like value for money.
At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate’s collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as proved by his panic-stricken handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and turning his back 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 unusual habit of turning his back 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 act decisively, Sunderland’s Talbi capitalising.
Steph Houghton, the former England captain, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just drops off. 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.”
Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp added his voice to the criticism when he said on Sky Sports: “Virgil Van Dijk last season couldn’t make a mistake. Every game he was imperious, but right now he’s making mistakes and second-guessing himself.”
