A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Fights Decline

The unforgiving attention that has centered around one global Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his struggles this campaign - and was placed on the bench for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have collected the full collection of major trophies, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the 1-1 draw.

The Experienced Pair and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the idea of securing the futures to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

In fact, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no escaping the stark fact that performance has dipped alarmingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth.

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

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Symbolized The Struggle

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

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

Bad luck at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just backs off. It's the mistake. 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 doubting himself."

The Numbers and A Lack of Command

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 imperious self this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while tackles and interceptions 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 lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the scruff of the neck.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an makeshift forward, was symptomatic of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard.

A Side Without Inspiration

Slot kept faith 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 was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after getting off the mark 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 deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish.

A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment 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.

Credit Due and Looking Ahead

Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to take a point 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 lethargic, labored and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Performances like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has collapsed.

But huge credit 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 excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were proactive, confident and dangerous.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic 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 back to the drawing board.