A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With A Dip in Form

The intense focus that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's latest desperate night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the bench for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the array of major trophies, whose poor form took center stage during the stalemate.

The Experienced Pair and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of handing contracts to a veteran duo 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 worryingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer refit that has still to demonstrate anything like value for money.

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

Van Dijk has received little support by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also fought his own battles, as highlighted by his panic-stricken handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Encapsulated The Struggle

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk losing possession before standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that hit him and drifted 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 disadvantage.

Misfortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just backs off. It's the wrong decision. 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 impeccable. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's erring and hesitating."

Statistical Decline and A Leadership Void

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 illustrious Liverpool career.

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

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was representative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the norm.

Liverpool Lacking Spark

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

The Egyptian was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet 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 superb tracking back 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 struggling title-holders ultimately had to accept the 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 lethargic, labored and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Displays like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has fallen apart.

But significant praise 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 positive, confident 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 frustrated they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

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