A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Fights Decline

The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one global Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this season - and was placed on the substitutes' bench for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday.

But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the array of major prizes, whose struggles came under the microscope during the 1-1 draw.

The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the idea of offering extensions to a veteran duo much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

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

Backline Issues and A Costly Refit

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

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

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the renowned star has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated by his rash handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Moment That Summed Up The Issue

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of turning his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.

Bad luck at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his unusual failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just retreats. 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 erring and second-guessing himself."

The Numbers and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be dismissed after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a stellar Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a faded version 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 preserve alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked clueless to take control by the scruff of the neck.

Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the emergency option 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 anomaly rather than the rule.

A Side Lacking Spark

Slot kept faith with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines.

The Egyptian was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective 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 taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish.

Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment 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 beaten keeper Alisson.

Credit Due 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 sluggish, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has collapsed.

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

The Black Cats were positive, confident and dangerous.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have grown into 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.