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

The unforgiving spotlight that has been trained on one global Liverpool icon shifted to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the bench for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday.

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the complete set of major prizes, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the stalemate.

The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of offering extensions 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 levels have fallen concerningly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Major Overhaul

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

Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has received little support by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the renowned star has also fought his own battles, as proved by his rash handball that conceded a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Summed Up The Issue

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

For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an curious trait of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

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

"Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just drops 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 commanding, but right now he's making mistakes and doubting himself."

The Numbers and A Lack of Command

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

He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual dominant persona this season, with the lowest recovery numbers 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 preserve alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked bewildered to seize the initiative by the scruff of the neck.

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

Liverpool Devoid of Ideas

Slot stayed with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines.

The Egyptian emerged 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 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 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 rounded keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and The Road Forward

Slot and his fading champions 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 slow, labored and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has collapsed.

But full acknowledgment 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 positive, assured and dangerous.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic of the manner in which they have grown into 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.