A Fading Figure of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With A Dip in Form

The intense focus that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form this campaign - and was consigned to the bench for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the array of major trophies, 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 lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of securing the futures to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

In fact, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no escaping the harsh truth that levels have fallen alarmingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like its worth.

Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to forfeit 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 not finding his feet at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, 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 Summed Up The Problem

It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off and averting his body 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 his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.

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

"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just drops 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 commanding, but right now he's erring and hesitating."

The Numbers and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be discarded after securing 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 commanding presence this season, with the worst recoveries per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions are also down on last season.

And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked lost to take control by the throat.

Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an emergency striker, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the standard.

Liverpool Devoid of Spark

Slot persisted with the side that halted 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 pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous 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 taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish.

Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's excellent defensive sprint allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had dribbled past keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and The Road Forward

Slot and his fading 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, ponderous and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried scant belief. 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 superb management of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were adventurous, 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 unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

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