A Diminished Presence of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Fights A Dip in Form

The glaring focus that has been trained on one global Liverpool legend shifted to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was placed on the bench for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the complete set of major trophies, whose dip in performance became the focus during the stalemate.

The Experienced Pair and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of offering extensions 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 avoiding the harsh truth that standards have dropped concerningly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee undertook a £450m summer refit that has yet to prove anything like value for money.

Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has held since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as proved by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Summed Up The Struggle

It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk losing possession before standing off and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that deflected off 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 detriment.

Bad luck at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just backs off. 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 was impeccable. 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 caliber must not be written off 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 faded version of his usual dominant persona this season, with the worst recoveries 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to take control by the throat.

Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an emergency striker, was representative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the norm.

Liverpool Lacking Spark

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

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

Slot would have been under even more 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 spared embarrassment 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 rounded keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and The Road Forward

Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to take a point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky 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 short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried scant belief. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has collapsed.

But full acknowledgment 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 fine work 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 telling of the manner in which they have embraced 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 back to the drawing board.