A Diminished Presence of His Imperious Self - Liverpool's Captain Battles Waning Influence

The intense attention that has been trained on one elite Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's latest desperate night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the complete set of top honors, whose dip in performance took center stage during the 1-1 draw.

The Seasoned Stars and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool concern voiced at the idea of handing contracts to a seasoned pair much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that performance has dipped worryingly for both.

Backline Issues and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team began a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like value for money.

Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the air of invincibility he has held since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has received little support by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, 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 merited lead, Van Dijk losing possession before backing away 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 undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.

Ill fortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 impeccable. Every game he was dominant, 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 dismissed after winning two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a stellar Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual commanding presence this season, with the lowest recovery numbers per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions 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 clueless to grab the game by the initiative.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an makeshift forward, was indicative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the norm.

A Side Devoid of Inspiration

Slot kept faith 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 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 even more pressure 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 saved from humiliation 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.

Praise Deserved and The Road Forward

Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to accept the 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 sluggish, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried scant belief. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has collapsed.

But huge credit 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 proactive, assured and a genuine threat.

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.