A Shadow of His Imperious Self - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With Waning Influence
The unforgiving focus that has centered around one elite Liverpool great switched to another on Anfield's fresh disappointing night.
Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his struggles this campaign - and was relegated to the bench for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday.
But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive foundation as Liverpool have secured the full collection of top honors, whose poor form took center stage during the 1-1 draw.
The Experienced Pair and Renewed Terms
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of offering extensions to a experienced stars much approaching the end of their careers than the start.
In fact, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no escaping the harsh truth that levels have fallen alarmingly for both.
Backline Issues and Summer Spending
Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like its worth.
Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to lose the sense of being untouchable he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the renowned star has also struggled badly, as highlighted by his rash handball that gave away a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
A Moment That Symbolized The Issue
It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before retreating and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that struck 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 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 atypical failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.
"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just drops 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 making mistakes and second-guessing himself."
Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be written off after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering Liverpool career.
He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual imperious self this season, with the lowest recovery numbers per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions are also down on last season.
And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the initiative.
Van Dijk's subpar showing, 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 exception rather than the rule.
A Side Lacking Ideas
Slot kept faith 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 came on at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after opening his account with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.
Slot would have been under greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending.
Stoppage-time tension 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 The Road Forward
Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to settle for a draw knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson fortunate 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 devoid of creativity. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has collapsed.
But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were adventurous, self-believing 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 frustrated they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.
For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.
