A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Battles Decline

The intense focus that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night.

The Egyptian forward 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 visited on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive foundation as Liverpool have secured the full collection of top honors, whose struggles became the focus during the 1-1 draw.

The Experienced Pair and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed high-value two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of securing the futures to a experienced stars much approaching the end of their careers than the start.

Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that levels have fallen concerningly for both.

A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team began a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like its worth.

Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the air of invincibility he has possessed since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Symbolized The Issue

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk losing possession before backing away and turning away on a 25-yard shot that hit him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

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

"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just drops off. It's the wrong decision. 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 dominant, but right now he's making mistakes and second-guessing himself."

Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber 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 dominant persona 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 brimming with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to take control by the scruff of the neck.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an emergency striker, was representative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the standard.

A Side Devoid of Spark

Slot persisted 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 emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It never came, 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 taken a deflection 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 outstanding recovery run 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 underperforming defending champions ultimately had to accept the 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. Performances like this are the reason their defense of their crown 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 fine work of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were proactive, confident and threatening.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 back to the drawing board.