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

The glaring spotlight that has centered around one world-class Liverpool legend shifted to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive foundation as Liverpool have swept up the full collection of top honors, whose struggles came under the microscope during the draw.

The Experienced Pair and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool eyebrow raised at the notion of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

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

Backline Issues and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like its worth.

At the same time, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the air of invincibility he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has not been helped by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the renowned star has also struggled badly, as highlighted by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Symbolized The Problem

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that hit him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.

Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's erring and second-guessing himself."

The Numbers and A Leadership Void

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

He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual dominant persona this season, with the worst recoveries per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions are also down on last season.

And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard.

A Side Lacking Ideas

Slot stayed with the side that halted a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more starting on 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 quiet after scoring his first with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under even more pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish.

Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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.

Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead

Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to take a point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky 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 slow, ponderous and lacking in ideas. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has fallen apart.

But huge credit for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were adventurous, assured and dangerous.

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

For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.