A Shadow of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Battles A Dip in Form

The unforgiving focus that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's latest desperate night.

Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his subpar performances this campaign - and was relegated to the substitutes' bench for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday.

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive rock as Liverpool have collected the array of major prizes, whose struggles came under the microscope 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 barely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of securing the futures to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

In fact, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that standards have dropped alarmingly for both.

Backline Issues and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like value for money.

Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the aura of invulnerability he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has received little support by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Encapsulated The Issue

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that struck him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

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

Ill fortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his atypical failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage.

"Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just backs 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 was impeccable. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating."

Statistical Decline 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 illustrious Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual commanding presence this season, with the worst recoveries 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 missing here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the initiative.

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

Liverpool Without Spark

Slot persisted with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines.

The Egyptian was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on 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 taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending.

Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 beaten keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and Looking Ahead

Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to settle for a draw 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 slow, unimaginative and lacking in ideas. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has collapsed.

But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were adventurous, self-believing and threatening.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have grown into 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 a case of going back to basics.