A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Fights A Dip in Form

The intense attention that has centered around one world-class Liverpool icon shifted to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his struggles this campaign - and was placed on the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the array of major trophies, whose poor form became the focus during the stalemate.

The Experienced Pair and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

In fact, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the harsh truth that standards have dropped worryingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team began a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like value for money.

At the same time, Van Dijk has started to shed the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Moment That Summed Up The Struggle

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

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

Bad luck at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his unusual failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just retreats. 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 commanding, but right now he's slipping up and doubting himself."

Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void

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 faded version of his usual commanding presence this season, with the worst recoveries 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 packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was indicative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the standard.

Liverpool Without Spark

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

The Egyptian emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after scoring his first 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 grandstand finish.

Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 rounded keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and The Road Forward

Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to settle for a draw 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 sluggish, unimaginative and devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Showings 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 serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were adventurous, 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 grown into 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 a case of going back to basics.