A Diminished Presence of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Battles Waning Influence

The unforgiving attention that has centered around one elite Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench 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 swept up the full collection of major prizes, whose struggles took center stage during the stalemate.

The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of securing the futures to a seasoned pair much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

Indeed, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no escaping the stark fact that performance has dipped alarmingly for both.

Backline Issues and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like its worth.

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

Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that conceded a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Summed Up The Struggle

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before standing off and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that struck him and floated 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 cost.

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 capitalising.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just backs 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 was impeccable. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself."

Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature 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 dominant persona this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while tackles and interceptions are also down on last season.

And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's preserve alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was missing here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked clueless to take control by the initiative.

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

A Side Devoid of Ideas

Slot kept faith 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 came on at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after scoring his first with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending.

A late scare 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 rounded keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead

Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to take a point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson blessed 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 devoid of creativity. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried scant belief. Displays like this are the reason their defense of their crown has collapsed.

But full acknowledgment 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 adventurous, self-believing 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 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 back to the drawing board.