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

The unforgiving attention that has centered around one global Liverpool great switched to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday.

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the complete set of major prizes, whose poor form took center stage during the 1-1 draw.

The Seasoned Stars and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of securing the futures to a seasoned pair much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no avoiding the harsh truth that performance has dipped concerningly for both.

A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like its worth.

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

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also had significant difficulties, as proved by his desperate handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Encapsulated The Struggle

It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that struck 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 his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

Ill fortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his atypical failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just backs 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 imperious, but right now he's erring and second-guessing himself."

Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be dismissed after winning 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 defensive actions 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 absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the initiative.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an emergency striker, was representative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm.

A Team Devoid of Spark

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 came on at the start of the second half as the Kop looked 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 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 thrilling finale.

Late drama 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 fading champions ultimately had to accept the 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, ponderous and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has collapsed.

But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management 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 adapted to 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 time for reflection.