A Fading Figure of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With Decline

The glaring attention that has fallen upon one global Liverpool icon switched to another on Anfield's latest desperate night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was relegated to the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive bedrock as Liverpool have swept up the array of top honors, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the 1-1 draw.

The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of securing the futures to a seasoned pair much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

Indeed, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no escaping the harsh truth that standards have dropped concerningly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit

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

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

Van Dijk has received little support by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as proved by his desperate handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Summed Up The Issue

It was captured 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 hit him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

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

"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just drops off. 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 imperious, but right now he's making mistakes and hesitating."

The Numbers and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be dismissed 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 shadow of his usual imperious self 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to take control by the initiative.

Van Dijk's poor display, 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 standard.

A Side Without Ideas

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 emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous after opening his account 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 thrilling finale.

Late drama 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 dribbled past keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and The Road Forward

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 devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has collapsed.

But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were adventurous, confident and threatening.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 time for reflection.