A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Battles A Dip in Form

The intense spotlight that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his subpar performances this campaign - and was placed on the bench for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday.

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

The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool concern voiced at the notion of securing the futures to a veteran duo much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that performance has dipped alarmingly for both.

Backline Issues and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like value for money.

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

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as highlighted by his panic-stricken handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Symbolized The Issue

It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk losing possession before backing away and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that struck him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

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

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

"Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 faultless. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's making mistakes and hesitating."

The Numbers and A Lack of Command

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

He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual imperious self this season, with the worst recoveries 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 absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the initiative.

Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an makeshift forward, was symptomatic of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the standard.

A Side Lacking Inspiration

Slot stayed 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 never came, 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 been turned 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 spared embarrassment 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.

Praise Deserved 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 devoid of creativity. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown has crumbled.

But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris.

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

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 a case of going back to basics.