A Diminished Presence of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Grapples With A Dip in Form
The glaring spotlight that has been trained on one elite Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night.
Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this season - and was placed on the substitutes' bench for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday.
But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the complete set of top honors, whose poor form became the focus during the draw.
The Veteran Duo and New Deals
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool eyebrow raised at the idea of securing the futures to a veteran duo much approaching the end of their careers than the start.
In fact, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that levels have fallen alarmingly for both.
Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Major Overhaul
Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has still to demonstrate anything like a good return.
Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the aura of invulnerability he has held since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet 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 heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
A Sequence That Summed Up 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 standing off and turning away on a 25-yard shot that hit him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.
For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an curious trait of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost.
Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.
"Van Dijk loses the ball 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."
The Numbers 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 poest ball recovery rate 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was absent here. No-one was motivating 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 emergency striker, was indicative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the norm.
A Team Lacking Ideas
Slot persisted with the side that stopped 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 ineffective after opening his account with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.
Slot would have been under increased scrutiny had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending.
A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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 underperforming defending champions 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 sluggish, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried scant belief. Performances like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has crumbled.
But full acknowledgment 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 positive, self-believing and dangerous.
Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling of the manner in which they have adapted to 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.
