A Shadow of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Fights Waning Influence

The intense spotlight that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his subpar performances this campaign - and was consigned to the bench for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday.

But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the array of top honors, whose poor form took center stage during the stalemate.

The Seasoned Stars and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the prospect of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

In fact, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that performance has dipped worryingly for both.

Backline Issues and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like a good return.

Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the sense of being untouchable 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 collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the renowned star has also struggled badly, as proved by his panic-stricken handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Summed Up The Struggle

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

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

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

"Van Dijk surrenders possession 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 dominant, but right now he's erring and hesitating."

Statistical Decline and A Leadership Void

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be written off after winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a illustrious 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 tackles and interceptions 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 lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked clueless 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 makeshift forward, was indicative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the rule.

Liverpool Devoid of Ideas

Slot persisted with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more starting on the sidelines.

The Egyptian emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous 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 been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale.

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

Credit Due and Looking Ahead

Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to settle for a draw 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 short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled.

But significant praise 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 excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were proactive, 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 unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

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