Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for poor form and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for a second successive Premier League game. Virgil van Dijk's performances have also dropped and became the central issue in the 1-1 draw with Sunderland. Both veterans signed new two-year deals over the summer, yet standards have fallen alarmingly. Liverpool's defence has been vulnerable since a 450m summer refit that has so far not produced value. Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form and Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back have compounded problems, while Van Dijk has made high-profile errors including a handball that conceded a Champions League penalty and a costly misjudgement that led to Sunderland's goal.
"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."
"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."
Read at www.bbc.com
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