A Fading Figure of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Fights A Dip in Form

The glaring attention that has been trained on one global Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night.

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

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of major prizes, whose dip in performance became the focus during the stalemate.

The Seasoned Stars and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool concern voiced at the notion of offering extensions to a experienced stars much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

Indeed, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that standards have dropped worryingly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department began a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like a good return.

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

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Moment That Encapsulated The Issue

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk losing possession 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 unusual habit of shying 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 atypical failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just drops 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 impeccable. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's making mistakes and hesitating."

Performance Metrics and Missing Leadership

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

He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual dominant persona this season, with the lowest recovery numbers 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 packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked bewildered to seize the initiative by the initiative.

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

A Side Devoid of Spark

Slot stayed 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 emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous after scoring his first 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.

Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat 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 fading champions ultimately had to accept the point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson fortunate 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, labored and lacking in ideas. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Displays like this are the reason their title defence has collapsed.

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 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 symptomatic of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 time for reflection.