A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Battles Decline

The intense attention that has centered around one world-class Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night.

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

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the complete set of top honors, whose poor form became the focus during the draw.

The Experienced Pair and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of securing the futures to a veteran duo much closer to 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 performance has dipped alarmingly for both.

A Leaky Defense 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 not yet shown anything like a good return.

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

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as proved by his rash handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Summed Up The Issue

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before backing away 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 proven caliber, Van Dijk has an curious trait 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 courted with his atypical failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"Van Dijk surrenders possession 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 dominant, but right now he's slipping up and doubting himself."

Performance Metrics 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 illustrious Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual commanding presence this season, with the lowest recovery numbers 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 bewildered to take control by the initiative.

Van Dijk's difficult night, 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 rule.

A Team Without Spark

Slot persisted 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 failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous after scoring his first with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under increased scrutiny 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 spared embarrassment 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.

Credit Due and The Road Forward

Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to settle for a draw 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 customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has crumbled.

But full acknowledgment 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 excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were adventurous, assured and dangerous.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic of the manner in which they have embraced life in the Premier League that they will be disappointed they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

For Slot and Liverpool, it is a case of going back to basics.