A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With Decline

The unforgiving spotlight that has been trained on one elite Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was relegated to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday.

But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive rock as Liverpool have collected the array of top honors, whose dip in performance became the focus during the 1-1 draw.

The Seasoned Stars and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the idea of handing contracts 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 escaping the brutal reality that performance has dipped worryingly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit

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

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

Van Dijk has received little support by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as proved by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Moment That Summed Up The Struggle

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before backing away and turning away 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 unusual habit of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost.

Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"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 faultless. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating."

Performance Metrics and Missing Leadership

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 shadow of his usual imperious self 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 preserve alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was absent here. No-one was motivating 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 emergency option of acting as an makeshift forward, was symptomatic of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the rule.

A Team Lacking Inspiration

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

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

Slot would have been under greater 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.

Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's superb tracking back allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had dribbled past keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and The Road Forward

Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to accept the point 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 sluggish, ponderous and lacking in ideas. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their defense of their crown has collapsed.

But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of clear intent 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 symptomatic 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 back to the drawing board.