Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland (Mukiele 81′ og | Talbi 67′)
In a bizarre Premier League season perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising one enduring image is that of Virgil van Dijk sticking out his backside.
Already it is a repeat offender, twice playing a big role in goals Liverpool have conceded during a title defence that barely lasted three months.
This case of derriere déjà vu was first seen against Chelsea in October, when Liverpool’s captain backed away and backed away before Moises Caicedo rattled in a beautiful opener for the Blues.
Social media had a field day with a “twerking” Van Dijk, while the serious point made was that the Dutchman’s powers were waning having been the 2020s centre-back closest to troubling the much-debated, never-agreed-upon Premier League’s all-time XI.
And rather than put this futile defensive action behind him, on Wednesday night the hind was causing Arne Slot’s side more problems, with Chemsdine Talbi’s strike deflecting off Van Dijk – whose misplayed pass had just gifted Sunderland possession – to hand the Black Cats the lead at Anfield.
“I don’t like it when a defender does that [turns their back on the ball],” Jamie Redknapp said on Sky Sports. “Van Dijk last year couldn’t make a mistake. He was imperious. Now he’s second guessing himself.”
Liverpool did rescue a point after Florian Wirtz’s strike went down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal given this was an even heavier deflection, but had it not been for the injury-time heroics of Federico Chiesa – whose goalline clearance denied Wilson Isidor – then the Reds would have suffered a seventh league defeat of the season.
But six it remains after a first league draw, with Liverpool taking one step back after hopes on the weekend that the win over West Ham had helped them turn a corner.
“Liverpool have been awful,” Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports before half-time. “They are sleepwalking through the game, everything feels so slow.”
And the ex-Liverpool defender’s assessment was hardly any better after full-time: “It feels like a real step back. It’s really worrying. They’re lacking energy, zip, pace, power.”
Van Dijk’s rear is therefore just the start when it comes to Liverpool’s frailties.
At Anfield alone they have conceded nine league goals already, having shipped in 16 there all of last season, while overall this campaign they are conceding at a rate of 1.5 goals per game – exactly one more than Arsenal’s rate (0.5) and worse than their own 1.08 rate last term.
The goal difference is also smack on zero after 21 goals for and against – a rarity for Liverpool who have boasted exactly +45 GD at the end of their past two seasons, and last went below +25 in 2015–16 (+13).
So not only are they leaking more goals but they are looking stifled in attack. Mohamed Salah is now in and out of the XI – all before he heads off to the Africa Cup of Nations – while Alexander Isak is not yet firing despite ending his league wait at West Ham.
Problems abound therefore ahead of the trip on Saturday to Leeds United, who will be bouncing from a big win over Chelsea.
Slot though is adamant on steering away from negativity and putting on a positive spin. “We didn’t concede a lot,” he said afterwards. “We didn’t create a lot. We’re unlucky with the goal we conceded, a deflection that could have gone anywhere.”
That feels kind, for now, somehow, Slot must find a way to ensure his captain’s backside isn’t one of the reasons he ends up fighting to save his own.
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