A Fading Figure of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Fights Decline

The glaring attention that has been trained on one elite Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night.

The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his poor form this campaign - and was placed on the bench for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday.

But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have swept up the array of top honors, whose struggles took center stage during the draw.

The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions

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

Truly, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that performance has dipped alarmingly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer rebuild that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth.

Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to shed the aura of invulnerability he has carried since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018.

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

An Incident That Summed Up The Struggle

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before backing away 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 curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost.

Bad luck at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just drops 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself."

Statistical Decline and A Leadership Void

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be written off 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 pale imitation of his usual imperious self 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 packed with experience, it was missing here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the throat.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an makeshift forward, was symptomatic of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard.

A Team Devoid of 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 emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop turned 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 taken a deflection 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 outstanding recovery run allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had rounded keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead

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, ponderous and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled.

But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were positive, self-believing 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 frustrated they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

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