A Diminished Presence of His Imperious Self - Liverpool's Captain Battles Waning Influence

The unforgiving focus that has fallen upon one elite 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 sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive foundation as Liverpool have secured the complete set of top honors, whose poor form became the focus during the stalemate.

The Veteran Duo and New Deals

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

Truly, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that standards have dropped alarmingly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like value for money.

At the same time, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the renowned star has also fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his rash handball that conceded a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Symbolized The Struggle

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

For a defender of such proven caliber, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of turning his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.

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

"Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just retreats. 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 dominant, but right now he's erring and second-guessing himself."

Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be written off after winning 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 imperious self this season, with the worst recoveries 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked bewildered to seize the initiative by the initiative.

Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the rule.

Liverpool Devoid of Ideas

Slot stayed 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 was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, 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 dramatic ending.

Late drama 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.

Credit Due 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 lethargic, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings 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 seeing the results for a summer of clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were proactive, 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 embraced 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 time for reflection.