A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Battles Decline

The unforgiving spotlight that has centered around one elite Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night.

The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his struggles this season - and was relegated to the bench for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday.

But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have secured the full collection of top honors, whose dip in performance became the focus during the 1-1 draw.

The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions

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

Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that levels have fallen concerningly for both.

A Leaky Defense and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer rebuild that has still to demonstrate anything like value for money.

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

Van Dijk has received little support by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as proved by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Sequence That Symbolized The Struggle

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk losing possession before standing off and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that hit 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 detriment.

Bad luck at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his unusual failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk surrenders possession 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 imperious, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating."

Statistical Decline and A Leadership Void

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be discarded after claiming two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a stellar Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a faded version 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 sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the initiative.

Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an emergency striker, was representative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard.

Liverpool Lacking Inspiration

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 emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous 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 taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale.

Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 dribbled past keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and The Road Forward

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 lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title 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 clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work 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 telling of the manner in which they have embraced life in the Premier League that they will be frustrated they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.

For Slot and Liverpool, it is time for reflection.