A Shadow of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With A Dip in Form

The unforgiving focus that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's latest desperate night.

Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his poor form this campaign - and was consigned to the bench for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday.

But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the full collection of top honors, whose poor form came under the microscope during the stalemate.

The Experienced Pair and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the prospect of handing contracts to a veteran duo much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

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

Backline Issues and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like a good return.

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

Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as proved by his rash handball that gave away a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Encapsulated The Struggle

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

For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage.

"Van Dijk surrenders possession 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 imperious, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself."

The Numbers and Missing Leadership

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after securing 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 imperious self this season, with the lowest recovery numbers 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 full of experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked clueless to take control by the scruff of the neck.

Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an makeshift forward, was symptomatic of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the standard.

Liverpool Lacking Ideas

Slot persisted with the side that halted 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 looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, 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.

A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's excellent defensive sprint allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had dribbled past 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 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, ponderous and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried scant belief. Displays like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart.

But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded 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 symptomatic of the manner in which they have grown into 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.