A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Fights Waning Influence

The intense focus that has centered around one elite Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night.

The Egyptian forward has faced examination for his struggles this campaign - and was consigned to the bench for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday.

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

The Veteran Duo and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of offering extensions to a veteran duo much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the harsh truth that standards have dropped alarmingly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department began a £450m summer refit that has still to demonstrate anything like a good return.

At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the sense of being untouchable he has carried since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has not been helped by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his rash handball that gave away a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Summed Up The Issue

It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk losing possession before standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.

Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his atypical failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just backs off. It's the mistake. 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 dominant, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself."

Performance Metrics and Missing Leadership

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be dismissed 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 imperious self 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 brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked lost to seize the initiative by the throat.

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

Liverpool Devoid of Ideas

Slot stayed with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more starting on 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 quiet after opening his account 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 dramatic ending.

Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment 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.

Praise Deserved and The Road Forward

Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to take a 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 lethargic, ponderous and devoid of creativity. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried scant belief. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has collapsed.

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

The Black Cats were adventurous, confident and dangerous.

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 frustrated they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

For Slot and Liverpool, it is time for reflection.