A Shadow of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With A Dip in Form

The intense attention that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night.

The Egyptian forward has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was relegated to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday.

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive rock as Liverpool have collected the full collection of major trophies, whose dip in performance became the focus during the draw.

The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the idea of securing the futures to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no avoiding the harsh truth that levels have fallen concerningly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook a £450m summer refit that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth.

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

Van Dijk has received little support 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 fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Moment That Symbolized The Issue

It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before backing away and turning away 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 peculiar tendency of turning his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

Bad luck at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his atypical failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 imperious, but right now he's making mistakes and second-guessing himself."

Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void

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

He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual imperious self this season, with the poest ball recovery rate 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 brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the initiative.

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

Liverpool Lacking Inspiration

Slot stayed with the side that halted 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 turned to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet 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 been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale.

A late scare 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 rounded keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and The Road Forward

Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to take a 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 typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Displays like this are the reason their defense of their crown has crumbled.

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

The Black Cats were adventurous, assured and a genuine threat.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 back to the drawing board.