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

The intense attention that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool great switched to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his struggles this campaign - and was relegated to the bench for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday.

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

The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the idea of handing contracts to a seasoned pair much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the harsh truth that standards have dropped concerningly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like its worth.

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

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Symbolized The Issue

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

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

Misfortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his atypical failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage.

"Van Dijk loses the ball 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's erring and doubting himself."

Statistical Decline and A Leadership Void

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

He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual commanding presence this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while key defensive stats are also down on last season.

And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's preserve alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the initiative.

Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an makeshift forward, was indicative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the rule.

A Team Without Spark

Slot kept faith 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 came on at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous after scoring his first with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under increased scrutiny had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not taken a deflection 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 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 rounded keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and The Road Forward

Slot and his underperforming defending 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 short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Showings like this are the reason their defense of their crown has crumbled.

But huge credit 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 positive, self-believing and dangerous.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have adapted to life in the Premier League that they will be frustrated they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

For Slot and Liverpool, it is a case of going back to basics.