A Diminished Presence of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Fights A Dip in Form
The unforgiving focus that has been trained on one elite Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's latest desperate night.
Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his subpar performances this campaign - and was relegated to the substitutes' bench for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday.
But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have collected the complete set of top honors, whose struggles took center stage during the draw.
The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the idea of handing contracts to a veteran duo much nearer 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 concerningly for both.
Defensive Vulnerabilities and Summer Spending
Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee undertook a ÂŁ450m summer refit that has not yet shown anything like value for money.
At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the air of invincibility he has carried since his ÂŁ75m move from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his panic-stricken handball that gave away a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
A Sequence That Encapsulated The Issue
It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and averting his body 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 shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.
Misfortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his atypical failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.
"Van Dijk loses the ball 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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was dominant, 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 securing 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 dominant persona this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions are also down on last season.
And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's preserve alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an emergency striker, was indicative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the standard.
A Side Without Ideas
Slot persisted 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 emerged at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It never came, with ÂŁ125m Alexander Isak also ineffective 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 deflected in 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 superb tracking back allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had rounded keeper Alisson.
Credit Due and The Road Forward
Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to accept the 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, ponderous and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Showings like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has collapsed.
But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were adventurous, assured and threatening.
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 a case of going back to basics.
