A Diminished Presence of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With A Dip in Form

The intense attention that has fallen upon one global Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this campaign - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday.

But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have collected the array of major trophies, whose struggles took center stage during the 1-1 draw.

The Seasoned Stars and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of offering extensions to a veteran duo much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

Indeed, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that levels have fallen worryingly for both.

Backline Issues and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like value for money.

Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has held since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Symbolized The Struggle

It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of turning his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

Misfortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just backs off. It's the wrong decision. He needs to go to the ball. Him not making the decision means that no one else knows what to do."

"Virgil Van Dijk last season was impeccable. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's erring and hesitating."

The Numbers and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a stellar Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual commanding presence this season, with the lowest recovery numbers per game during his Liverpool career, while key defensive stats are also down on last season.

And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked lost to seize the initiative by the initiative.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the rule.

A Team Without Spark

Slot persisted with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more observing from the sidelines.

The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous after opening his account with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending.

Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's excellent defensive sprint allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had beaten keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and Looking Ahead

Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to settle for a draw knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson fortunate to turn Trai Hume's shot onto the bar in the first half before Omar Alderete headed against the post after the interval.

Liverpool were sluggish, unimaginative and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Displays like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has collapsed.

But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were proactive, assured and dangerous.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have embraced life in the Premier League that they will be unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

For Slot and Liverpool, it is a case of going back to basics.