A Diminished Presence of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Battles A Dip in Form

The glaring attention that has centered around one global Liverpool great switched to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his subpar performances this season - and was relegated to the substitutes' bench for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday.

But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of top honors, whose struggles became the focus during the draw.

The Seasoned Stars and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of securing the futures to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no escaping the harsh truth that performance has dipped alarmingly for both.

Backline Issues and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth.

Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to lose the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has received little support by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated by his panic-stricken handball that gave away a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Symbolized The Problem

It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk losing possession before retreating and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.

Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just backs off. It's the incorrect choice. 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 commanding, but right now he's making mistakes and doubting himself."

Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command

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

He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual dominant persona this season, with the poest ball recovery rate 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 sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was missing here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked lost to seize the initiative by the scruff of the neck.

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

A Side Lacking Inspiration

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 emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet 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 outstanding recovery run allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had dribbled past keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and The Road Forward

Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to settle for a draw knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson blessed 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 lethargic, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Displays like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart.

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

The Black Cats were proactive, self-believing and threatening.

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

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