A Shadow of His Imperious Self - Liverpool's Captain Battles A Dip in Form

The unforgiving spotlight that has been trained on one elite Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's latest desperate night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form 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 leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the full collection of top honors, whose poor form took center stage during the 1-1 draw.

The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed high-value two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool eyebrow raised at the idea of securing the futures to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

In fact, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no avoiding the stark fact that levels have fallen worryingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like a good return.

Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has held since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt 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 heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Moment That Encapsulated The Struggle

It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before retreating 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 turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

Misfortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage.

"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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and doubting himself."

Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be written off 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 shadow of his usual commanding presence this season, with the lowest recovery numbers 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 full of experience, it was lacking here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an makeshift forward, was indicative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard.

Liverpool Lacking Ideas

Slot kept faith with the side that halted 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 looked to him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous after opening his account with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under increased scrutiny had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending.

Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's outstanding recovery run allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had dribbled past keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and Looking Ahead

Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to accept the point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson blessed 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 customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled.

But full acknowledgment 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 dangerous.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic of the manner in which they have grown into 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 a case of going back to basics.