Van Dijk’s big mistake puts Liverpool in danger; Dutch captain faces criticism again

Staff Report: PNN

Liverpool’s experienced star became the center of discussion this week again. Although Mohamed Salah has faced criticism for his performance throughout the season, captain Virgil van Dijk drew attention in the Premier League match against Sunderland on Wednesday—but not positively.

The 34-year-old Dutch defender Van Dijk and 33-year-old Salah both signed new two-year contracts in the summer. While fans were initially satisfied, now concern is growing as both players’ performances have declined.

Following a €450 million summer restructuring project, Liverpool’s defense has significantly weakened. At the same time, Van Dijk has begun to lose the solidity that made him nearly an impenetrable defensive symbol since joining from Southampton in 2018 for €75 million.

In Wednesday’s match, his mistakes were particularly noticeable. He lost the ball during Chemsedin Talbi’s goal for Sunderland, complicating the situation, and later, lack of coordination with teammates and an unnecessary handball that led to a penalty highlighted his uncertainty.

Former England captain Steph Houghton said, “When Van Dijk loses the ball, he just falls back. This is a wrong decision. He needs to step up, otherwise he cannot anticipate what his teammates will do.” Similarly, former midfielder Jamie Redknapp commented, “Last season, Van Dijk’s mistakes were rare. Now he’s making regular errors and losing confidence.”

Van Dijk cannot be entirely blamed, similar to Salah. This defender, who has won two Premier League titles, a Champions League, an FA Cup, and two EFL Cups, is no longer exerting the same influence on the field; his recovery, tackles, and interceptions have all declined.

Liverpool’s team weaknesses became more apparent toward the end of the match when Van Dijk had to play as a striker in an emergency. Overall, Liverpool was slow, rhythmless, and uncoordinated; without goalkeeper Alisson’s excellent saves, they could have faced even greater danger.

Meanwhile, full credit goes to Sunderland. They invested significantly in the summer transfer market and played confident, risk-taking football under coach Régis Le Bris. With 23 points, they are now sixth in the Premier League.

Liverpool coach Arne Slot and his staff now face the major task of quickly addressing strategic gaps to bring the team back into competition.