Five Liverpool players exposed deeper issues in Merseyside derby win | OneFootball

The wider issues at Liverpool were exposed by five players’ respective performances on Sunday, according to a prominent journalist, though the problems are being overblown with regards to two of the quintet.

In what’s been a campaign with far more lows than highs at Anfield, Liverpool at least look on course to secure the bare minimum requirement – Champions League qualification.

Back-to-back victories over European football chasers Fulham and Everton, combined with Chelsea’s mini-meltdown under Liam Rosenior, has given Liverpool a seven-point cushion inside the top five. As it was last season, fifth spot will be good enough for for UCL participation.

Liverpool weren’t at their best in the Merseyside derby on Sunday, but when it mattered most, it was the old guard who dragged their younger and more expensive teammates over the line.

But according to the Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele, the fact Liverpool were once again reliant on goalscorers Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, as well as Andy Robertson to narrowly get the better of Everton exposes deeper issues within Liverpool’s squad.

Steele, who is the Mail’s Merseyside correspondent, stated: ‘The longer-term worry for Liverpool is that the cornerstones of this win were all players who will likely leave in the next 12 months or so: Salah and Robertson, who we know will depart at the end of this term, plus captain Van Dijk.

‘The new wave of Reds, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, were largely anonymous. Isak’s excuse is that he is not fit after a long-term injury, but £116million Wirtz is not having the impact he should be. It shows that replacing Salah will be much easier said than done.’

Robertson, Van Dijk worries overblown

Robertson is moving on in the summer and already has an agreement in principle in place with Tottenham. The Scot’s move to north London is contingent on Spurs avoiding relegation.

Robertson’s form has picked up in recent weeks, though he’ll be the first to admit he’s not the player he once was. Now aged 32 and with a game built around energy and relentless running, there’s no shame in that.

Robertson’s decline at Liverpool actually began last season. There were huge clamours for Liverpool to sign a new left-back in the winter window of their title-winning season, and once Milos Kerkez arrived ahead of the new campaign, Arne Slot showed no hesitation in promoting the Hungarian straight into the starting eleven.

An over-reliance on Van Dijk isn’t all that big of a problem either, with the Dutchman contracted for another season and maintaining an incredible availability despite being in his mid-thirties.

Van Dijk is not the sort of player who requires his minutes managed. When Liverpool rotate heavily in earlier rounds of the cup competitions, for example, there’s very rarely a rest for the captain.

It’s true to say mistakes – most notably the concession of penalties – have crept into the centre-back’s game this season.

But if the worst you can say about Van Dijk is he’s gone from being a nine out of ten every week to an eight, he’s still among the very best in the world in his position.

Van Dijk repeatedly went public with his desire to sign a new Liverpool contract prior to putting pen to paper on a two-year extension last April.

There is nothing to suggest his love of Liverpool has dwindled since, and if there’s a desire from Liverpool’s end, it shouldn’t be difficult to agree another extension that’ll keep Van Dijk in situ beyond just next season.

Steele does make valid points regarding the attacking players, however.

Wirtz, Salah, Isak are genuine concerns

Wirtz (50) is second to only Bruno Fernandes (75) in the chances created from open play category in the Premier League this year. But the bigger issue is how little Wirtz has impacted the bigger games against the tougher opponents.

In 13 matches this term against Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, PSG (twice), Arsenal (twice), Manchester City three times), Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa, Wirtz has produced figures of zero goals and one assist.

Liverpool spending colossal sums on players like Wirtz and Isak was done in part to ensure the Reds could oversee a sustained period of dominance.

But if your star men cannot produce against against top tier opposition, Liverpool may have locked themselves into a period of being perennial challengers and never champions.

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It’s probably still too early to judge Isak whose first season has been decimated by injury. Since returning, he’s barely touched the ball, though that in itself is a problem.

Isak touched the ball just five times in the 45 minutes he played against PSG last week. Against Everton on Sunday, he managed just nine touches in 72 minutes.

Liverpool have gone from creating countless chances for a striker who couldn’t finish (Darwin Nunez), to creating almost nothing for a striker who can.

Is that the team’s fault, is it Arne Slot’s fault, or is it Isak’s? For now, it’s too early to tell.

Naturally, replacing Salah will be the transfer story that defines Liverpool’s summer.

While the Egyptian has endured what many perceive to be a woeful campaign, it’s important to note he’s second only to Hugo Ekitike in goal contributions across all competitions this term (Ekitike has 23, Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai are joint-second on 21).

Liverpool aren’t replacing prime Mo Salah, but the iteration of the winger they are replacing is still one who guarantees end product, and many a Premier League side have spent vast sums on wingers who can’t hold a candle to Salah, even in his worst ever season at the club.