Liverpool are beginning to confront the question of when to end the Anfield careers of two of their greatest-ever players, with both Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk showing signs of decline during a 3-2 Champions League defeat at Fenerbahce on Wednesday night.
Van Dijk, 35, was caught heavily several times in the opening moments by overly-aggressive challenges from the home team and appeared physically hampered as a result. The previous week, Chelsea youngster Emmanuel Emegha shoved over the Dutch compatriot, and such buffeting is in danger of becoming a regular occurrence. Opponents will look to capitalise on any sign of weakness, and Van Dijk has reached the point in his career where he must concentrate on looking after himself and his own game rather than having to cajole his centre-back partner and left-back through the match.
Defensive Struggles in Istanbul
Jeremy Jacquet has been of huge benefit in the heart of defence this season, but with Jacquet having a tough time coping with Romelu Lukaku in Istanbul, it forced Van Dijk into more defending than he has been accustomed to of late. Despite an uncharacteristic error that gifted Villarreal a goal last month, the importance of the skipper remains undiminished, with no player having featured for more minutes under Andoni Iraola.
Alisson, who turned 34 last month, has had a tough week. He was at fault for initiating Arsenal's winner on Sunday and was uncertain at key points during midweek. While there was nothing he could do about the deflected opener at Fenerbahce, there was a breakdown in communication with Cody Gakpo that left him stranded for the second, and a curious reluctance to leave his goalline to clear a high ball for the winner.
Managing the Decline of Legends
Such errors are par for the course for any goalkeeper in isolation, but they continue a gradually downward trend for Alisson, who, not unlike Van Dijk, remains integral for Liverpool, particularly regarding much-needed leadership and experience, but has gone beyond his peak. The Fenerbahce team included several players who have served their Premier League purpose, including Lukaku, Nathan Ake, N'Golo Kante and Alisson's fellow Brazil goalkeeper Ederson, who is a year younger at 33.
Managing the inevitable decline of long-serving legends is not easy. Brendan Rodgers had to ease out Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard from the starting line-up, and the difficulty Arne Slot had in coping with a fading Mohamed Salah last season contributed to the Dutchman being sacked. Iraola will hope for a more positive outcome similar to that of Klopp, who successfully negotiated the exits of stalwarts such as Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino along with the more surprise departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
Future-Proofing the Squad
Part of the reason for Klopp's success was the recruitment to replace those players. While not always perfect, it ensured Liverpool remained competitive, winning the League Cup in 2024 and the Premier League title the following year. The Reds have already taken steps to future-proof the centre-back and goalkeeper positions. Giovanni Leoni, close to a return to training after more than a year out, was brought in for an initial £26million from Parma last season, while Jacquet cost a potential £60m this year. Giorgi Mamardashvili arrived last summer in a £29m deal from Valencia as a long-term successor to Alisson, but Liverpool have already perhaps shown their hand that plan may have changed with a £30m agreement for highly-rated Belgian teenager Lucca Brughmans of Genk.
Van Dijk and Alisson are both out of contract at the end of this campaign, and there was a possibility Alisson could have gone in the summer with Juventus keen. The drop-off from Salah last term was a reminder that judging when best to part ways is not an exact science. If it would be a surprise should both extend their Anfield careers, it wouldn't be a shock if neither was at the club next season.
For now, they remain the undisputed first-choice options for Liverpool in their respective positions. Even no longer at their best, they are still crucial to helping Iraola usher in a new era, even if the duo may not necessarily be part of it. The baton is being handed over.
