A Shadow of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Battles Waning Influence

The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night.

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

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of major prizes, whose struggles took center stage during the stalemate.

The Experienced Pair and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of handing contracts to a veteran duo much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no escaping the harsh truth that levels have fallen concerningly for both.

A Leaky Defense and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer refit that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth.

Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the sense of being untouchable he has possessed since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has not been helped by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, 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 captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that struck him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

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

Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. 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 was faultless. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating."

Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be discarded after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering 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 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 missing here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked lost to seize the initiative by the throat.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was representative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the norm.

Liverpool Without Spark

Slot persisted with the side that stopped 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 failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after getting off the mark 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 thrilling finale.

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 beaten keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead

Slot and his fading 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 slow, unimaginative and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Displays like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title 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 notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were adventurous, self-believing and a genuine threat.

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 back to the drawing board.