A Diminished Presence of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Fights A Dip in Form

The unforgiving spotlight that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night.

The Egyptian forward has come under fire for his subpar performances this campaign - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the array of major prizes, whose dip in performance took center stage during the draw.

The Seasoned Stars and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool eyebrow raised at the notion of securing the futures to a veteran duo much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no avoiding the harsh truth that levels have fallen alarmingly for both.

Backline Issues and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team embarked on a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like a good return.

Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the sense of being untouchable he has held since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Summed Up The Problem

It was exemplified 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 peculiar tendency of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost.

Bad luck at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just drops off. 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's erring and doubting himself."

The Numbers and A Leadership Void

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be dismissed 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 faded version of his usual commanding presence this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions are also down on last season.

And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the throat.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the standard.

A Team Lacking Spark

Slot stayed 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 was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet 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 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 struggling title-holders ultimately had to take a point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky 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, ponderous and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Displays like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled.

But full acknowledgment 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 fine work of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were positive, confident and threatening.

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

For Slot and Liverpool, it is a case of going back to basics.