A Fading Figure of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Battles A Dip in Form

The intense spotlight that has centered around one global Liverpool great switched to another on Anfield's latest frustrating night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his struggles this season - and was relegated to the bench for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have swept up the complete set of top honors, whose struggles became the focus during the draw.

The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the idea of handing contracts to a seasoned pair much approaching 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 performance has dipped concerningly 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 embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like its worth.

Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the sense of being untouchable he has held since his £75m move 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 renowned star has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Summed Up The Struggle

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before backing away and turning his back 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 curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.

Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk loses the ball 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 impeccable. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's making mistakes and doubting himself."

Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be discarded after claiming two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a stellar 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 preserve alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked bewildered to take control by the scruff of the neck.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an makeshift forward, was indicative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the norm.

A Side Lacking Ideas

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

The Egyptian was introduced 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 opening his account 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.

A late scare 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 dribbled past keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and The Road Forward

Slot and his struggling title-holders 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 customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled.

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

The Black Cats were proactive, 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 unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

For Slot and Liverpool, it is time for reflection.