A Shadow of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Battles A Dip in Form

The glaring attention that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's most recent frustrating night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his subpar performances this campaign - and was placed on the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday.

But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have collected the full collection of major trophies, whose dip in performance took center stage during the 1-1 draw.

The Experienced Pair and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of securing the futures to a seasoned pair much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the stark fact that levels have fallen alarmingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and A Costly Refit

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

Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to lose the air of invincibility he has held since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the renowned star has also had significant difficulties, as highlighted by his desperate handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Encapsulated The Issue

It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball 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 proven caliber, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.

Misfortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his atypical failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage.

"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 dominant, but right now he's erring and doubting himself."

Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be written off 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 commanding presence this season, with the worst recoveries 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 absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the throat.

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 deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the rule.

A Team Without Ideas

Slot stayed 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 looked to him for inspiration. It never came, 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 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 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 sluggish, labored and devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart.

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

The Black Cats were proactive, self-believing 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 frustrated they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

For Slot and Liverpool, it is time for reflection.