A Diminished Presence of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Fights Waning Influence

The intense focus that has been trained on one global Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's latest desperate night.

The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his subpar performances this campaign - and was relegated to the sidelines for the consecutive 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 major trophies, whose struggles took center stage during the 1-1 draw.

The Experienced Pair and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of offering extensions to a experienced stars much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a moment of optimism - 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 vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like its worth.

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

Van Dijk has received little support 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 highlighted by his panic-stricken handball that gave away a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Encapsulated The Issue

It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before backing away and averting his body 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 unusual habit of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his unusual failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. 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 was faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's erring and doubting himself."

Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void

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 glittering Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual imperious self 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 preserve alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was absent here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked lost to take control 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 emergency striker, was representative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm.

Liverpool Devoid of Spark

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

The Egyptian was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after getting off the mark 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.

A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment 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 beaten keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead

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 lethargic, unimaginative and devoid of creativity. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart.

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

The Black Cats were proactive, assured and threatening.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have grown into life in the Premier League that they will be disappointed they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.