A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Fights A Dip in Form

The unforgiving attention that has centered around one world-class Liverpool great switched to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his subpar performances this season - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have swept up the array of major prizes, whose dip in performance took center stage during the draw.

The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions

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

Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that standards have dropped alarmingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like its worth.

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

Van Dijk has not been helped by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Symbolized The Struggle

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

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

Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"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 commanding, but right now he's making mistakes and doubting himself."

Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded 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 poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions 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 missing here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked lost to take control by the throat.

Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an makeshift forward, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm.

A Team Lacking Ideas

Slot kept faith with the side that stopped 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 pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under greater 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 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 The Road Forward

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 slow, labored and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Displays like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title 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 clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were positive, confident and a genuine threat.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling 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 a case of going back to basics.