A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Fights A Dip in Form

The unforgiving focus that has centered around one elite Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's latest frustrating night.

The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the array of top honors, whose struggles came under the microscope during the 1-1 draw.

The Experienced Pair and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the notion of handing contracts to a veteran duo much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

In fact, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no denying the harsh truth that performance has dipped alarmingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer refit that has yet to prove anything like value for money.

Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the sense of being untouchable he has held since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle 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 significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Encapsulated The Struggle

It was captured 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 struck him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such proven caliber, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

Ill fortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his atypical failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just drops 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 faultless. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself."

Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be written off 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 worst recoveries 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 preserve alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked bewildered to take control by the throat.

Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the last resort 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 norm.

Liverpool Lacking Ideas

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

The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective 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 been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish.

A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 dribbled past 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 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, ponderous and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Displays like this are the reason their defense of their crown has fallen apart.

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

The Black Cats were positive, assured and threatening.

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.