A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Battles Decline

The intense attention that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this campaign - and was relegated to the substitutes' bench for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have swept up the array of top honors, whose struggles came under the microscope during the draw.

The Veteran Duo and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool eyebrow raised at the idea of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that levels have fallen worryingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook 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 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 failing to settle at left-back. But the renowned star has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated by his rash handball that conceded a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Summed Up The Struggle

It was encapsulated 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 turning his back on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just backs off. 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 commanding, but right now he's making mistakes and second-guessing himself."

The Numbers and A Leadership Void

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 stellar Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual imperious self this season, with the poest ball recovery rate 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 motivating a team that once again looked lost to seize the initiative by the throat.

Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the last resort 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 outlier rather than the standard.

Liverpool Without Ideas

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 was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after opening his account 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 dramatic ending.

Stoppage-time tension 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 rounded keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and The Road Forward

Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to settle for a draw 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, ponderous and lacking in ideas. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried scant belief. Displays like this are the reason their defense of their crown has collapsed.

But huge credit for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were positive, assured and threatening.

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

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