A Shadow of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Grapples With A Dip in Form

The unforgiving focus that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his struggles this campaign - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive foundation as Liverpool have secured the full collection of top honors, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the 1-1 draw.

The Seasoned Stars and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of offering extensions to a veteran duo much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that levels have fallen worryingly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Major Overhaul

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

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

Van Dijk has not been helped by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Encapsulated The Problem

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 backing away and turning away on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

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

Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"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 faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's making mistakes and doubting himself."

The Numbers and Missing Leadership

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be dismissed after claiming two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering 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 key defensive stats are also down on last season.

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

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

A Team Without Spark

Slot stayed with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more observing from the sidelines.

The Egyptian was introduced 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 opening his account 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 deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish.

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 beaten keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead

Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to take a point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky 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, labored and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Displays 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 rewarded for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were proactive, 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 adapted to 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.