A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Battles A Dip in Form
The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one elite Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's latest frustrating night.
Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday.
But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the array of top honors, whose dip in performance took center stage during the 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 question asked at the notion of securing the futures 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 escaping the harsh truth that performance has dipped concerningly for both.
A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending
Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer refit that has still to demonstrate anything like value for money.
Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the air of invincibility 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 great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as highlighted by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
An Incident That Summed Up The Problem
It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before retreating and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that struck him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.
For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost.
Misfortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his uncharacteristic failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.
"Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 second-guessing himself."
Performance Metrics 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 glittering Liverpool career.
He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual dominant persona 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 packed with experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to seize the initiative by the throat.
Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an makeshift forward, was representative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm.
A Side Devoid of Ideas
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 came on at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective 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 deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale.
Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 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 lethargic, ponderous and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart.
But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were positive, assured and dangerous.
Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have embraced 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 a case of going back to basics.
