A Fading Figure of His Imperious Self - Liverpool's Captain Battles Decline

The intense focus that has fallen upon one global Liverpool great switched to another on Anfield's most recent frustrating night.

Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his struggles this campaign - and was placed on the substitutes' bench for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.

But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have swept up the array of major trophies, whose dip in performance became the focus during the draw.

The Experienced Pair and Renewed Terms

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the notion of handing contracts to a seasoned pair much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

Indeed, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no avoiding the stark fact that standards have dropped worryingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee embarked on a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like value for money.

Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to shed the air of invincibility he has carried 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 struggled badly, as demonstrated by his rash handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Encapsulated The Struggle

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

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

Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's erring and doubting himself."

Statistical Decline and A Leadership Void

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 illustrious Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual commanding presence 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 sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

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

Liverpool 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 observing from the sidelines.

The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective 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 grandstand finish.

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 rounded keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and The Road Forward

Slot and his underperforming defending champions 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 lethargic, labored and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried scant belief. Displays like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart.

But huge credit for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were positive, confident and a genuine threat.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling 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.