A Shadow of His Imperious Self - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With A Dip in Form

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

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

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of major trophies, whose poor form came under the microscope during the stalemate.

The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms

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

In fact, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no denying the harsh truth that levels have fallen alarmingly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department began a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like value for money.

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

Van Dijk has not been helped by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also had significant difficulties, as highlighted by his panic-stricken handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Moment That Encapsulated The Issue

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

For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost.

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

"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. It's the wrong decision. 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 imperious, but right now he's making mistakes and doubting himself."

Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command

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

He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual dominant persona 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 sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an makeshift forward, 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 stayed 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 emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under increased scrutiny 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.

A late scare 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, labored and devoid of creativity. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart.

But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were proactive, assured and threatening.

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 disappointed they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.