Van Dijk Under Pressure as Liverpool Struggle
With Leeds waiting for them at Elland Road, Liverpool need the stability at the back urgently.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has committed his future to the Premier League club by signing a new two-year contract on April 17, 2025. The Dutch centre-back follows Mohamed Salah in ending months of speculation by extending his stay at Anfield. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Much of the conversation around Liverpool’s dip in form has focused on Mohamed Salah’s inconsistency, but attention has now shifted firmly to Van Dijk, whose influence at the heart of the defence appears diminished.
It feels like only a few months ago that Liverpool were celebrating securing renewed contracts for some of their long-serving stars, including Van Dijk. But the 34-year-old has struggled to reproduce his former dominance in the months since. Concerns were amplified last week when he conceded a penalty for handball during the 4–1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven—his third penalty concession in all competitions this season.
His mid-week performance did little to reassure supporters. Against Sunderland, Van Dijk gave away possession before backing off as Chemsdine Talbi unleashed a long-range equaliser, forcing Liverpool to settle for a 1–1 draw at Anfield.
Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp best encapsulated the situation when he described how Van Dijk has gone from “imperious” last season to “second-guessing himself” this campaign. Even Wayne Rooney previously questioned the Dutchman’s leadership and body language, calling it a “big concern.”
With Leeds waiting for them at Elland Road, Liverpool need the stability at the back urgently.
Aston Villa’s remarkable rise under Emery
Few teams better encapsulate a dramatic change in fortunes than Aston Villa. From toothless at the beginning of the season, failing to score in their first four games, they have embarked on an astonishing recovery: winning eight of their last nine league outings and rising to third.
Villa’s 4–3 win over Brighton midweek brought further encouragement, particularly with Ollie Watkins scoring twice after a quiet start to his season. A win over Arsenal on Saturday would bring them within three points of the league leaders.
Villa have also been strong against Arsenal lately, having lost just one of the last four meetings between the two clubs. Pundits credit Emery’s calm leadership for that, even when former midfielder Danny Murphy praised his measured approach during their early-season struggles.
Sunderland Continue to Surprise
Of all the league’s newcomers, Sunderland are the only one of the promoted clubs to be performing well this season, with Leeds and Burnley finding life in the top flight tough; Regis Le Bris has guided Sunderland to an impressive position, just five points behind second-placed Manchester City.
The Black Cats were only denied a historic win at Anfield on Wednesday by an unfortunate own goal from Nordi Mukiele, settling for a 1–1 draw. Le Bris was full of praise for the mentality of his squad, pinpointing their humility and eagerness to improve.
They have one of the strongest defences in the league, with a mere 14 goals conceded-so far, only Arsenal and Crystal Palace have posted better numbers. But they now face the daunting challenge of stopping Pep Guardiola’s free-scoring Manchester City.
Fixtures
Saturday
Aston Villa v Arsenal (1230), Bournemouth v Chelsea, Everton v Nottingham Forest, Manchester City v Sunderland, Newcastle v Burnley, Tottenham v Brentford, Leeds v Liverpool (1730)
Sunday:
Brighton v West Ham (1400), Fulham v Crystal Palace (1630) Monday: Wolves v Manchester United (2000)
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