Liverpool Held as Sunderland Exposes Growing Cracks at Anfield
The spotlight coming into the game had already been shining uncomfortably on Mohamed Salah, who found himself on the bench again. But by full-time, it was Virgil van Dijk who found himself at the centre of the conversation. At 34, Van Dijk has been such a towering presence for Liverpool for so many years that seeing him struggle feels almost surreal. Yet his dip in form was once again laid bare, especially during the moment that gave Sunderland their lead.
That opening goal arrived in the 67th minute, and it was rooted in Van Dijk’s own mistake. A loose touch, a poor clearance, and suddenly the ball was with Enzo Le Fée, who slipped it wide to Chemsdine Talbi. Talbi’s strike took a deflection off Van Dijk and drifted past Alisson — the kind of moment that summed up Liverpool’s defensive unease throughout the match. Instead of stepping out aggressively, Van Dijk backed off, almost inviting the shot. For a defender who once radiated total control, it was jarringly out of character.
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To make things worse, Sunderland didn’t just sit back and hope for something to happen. They were bold, direct, and full of belief. Players like Brian Brobbey, Noah Sadiki, and Le Fée kept Liverpool’s back line constantly uncomfortable. It truly felt like Sunderland arrived not merely to survive, but to compete — and they did exactly that.
Liverpool, on the other hand, were sluggish and short of ideas. Cody Gakpo struggled in the first half, prompting Arne Slot to introduce Salah at the break, but even then the spark never really arrived. Chances were scarce, passing was loose, and despite plenty of possession, threat was minimal.
Liverpool’s equaliser didn’t come from flowing football either. It arrived late, in the 81st minute, when Florian Wirtz fired a shot that deflected off Nordi Mukiele and trickled into the net. Even the goal had that desperate, scrappy feeling — a team relying on fortune rather than structure.
The tensest moment came in stoppage time, and it didn’t belong to Liverpool. Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor broke free, rounded Alisson, and looked certain to score. Only a remarkable recovery run from Federico Chiesa — yes, a forward sprinting the length of the pitch — kept Liverpool alive by clearing the ball off the line.
By the end, the draw felt less like a point earned and more like a narrow escape. Sunderland will feel they let a huge opportunity slip, while Liverpool are left confronting a harsh truth: performances like this explain exactly why their title defence is fading fast.
And for Van Dijk and Salah, whose brilliance once defined this era of Liverpool dominance, the questions are only getting louder.
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