A Diminished Presence of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Battles Decline

The intense focus that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool icon shifted to another on Anfield's most recent desperate night.

Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his struggles this campaign - and was placed on the bench for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have swept up the array of top honors, whose dip in performance took center stage during the 1-1 draw.

The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of securing the futures to a experienced stars much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that standards have dropped concerningly for both.

A Leaky Defense and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like a good return.

At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the sense of being untouchable he has held since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also had significant difficulties, as highlighted by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Symbolized The Problem

It was encapsulated 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 deflected off him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

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

"Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's making mistakes and second-guessing himself."

Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after claiming 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 tackles and interceptions 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 scruff of the neck.

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 deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard.

Liverpool Lacking Ideas

Slot stayed 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 quiet after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not been turned in 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 spared embarrassment 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 beaten keeper Alisson.

Credit Due 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, labored and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has crumbled.

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

The Black Cats were proactive, confident and a genuine threat.

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 back to the drawing board.