A Diminished Presence of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Fights Waning Influence

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

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his subpar performances this season - and was placed on the substitutes' bench for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday.

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the full collection of top honors, whose poor form became the focus during the draw.

The Experienced Pair and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the idea of securing the futures to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no escaping the stark fact that performance has dipped alarmingly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth.

At the same time, Van Dijk has started to shed the sense of being untouchable 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 loss of form, 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 gave away a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Symbolized The Issue

It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk losing possession before standing off and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that struck him and floated 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 cost.

Bad luck at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"Van Dijk loses the ball 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 faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's making mistakes and hesitating."

The Numbers and A Leadership Void

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be written off after claiming 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 commanding presence this season, with the lowest recovery numbers per game during his Liverpool career, while tackles and interceptions are also down on last season.

And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's preserve alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the initiative.

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

A Team Without Spark

Slot kept faith 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 was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It never came, 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 even more pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish.

A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's excellent defensive sprint allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had rounded keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead

Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to take a point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson fortunate 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 lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Displays like this are the reason their defense of their crown has fallen apart.

But huge credit for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris.

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

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

For Slot and Liverpool, it is time for reflection.