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

The intense attention that has centered around one elite Liverpool great switched to another on Anfield's most recent desperate night.

Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his subpar performances this season - and was consigned to the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the full collection of major prizes, whose dip in performance became the focus during the stalemate.

The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

Indeed, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the stark fact that standards have dropped worryingly for both.

A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul

Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team began a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like value for money.

Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to lose the aura of invulnerability he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as highlighted by his panic-stricken handball that conceded a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Moment That Encapsulated The Problem

It was encapsulated 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 drifted 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 detriment.

Ill fortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his atypical failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 commanding, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating."

The Numbers and Missing Leadership

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 stellar Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual dominant persona 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 full of experience, it was lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the throat.

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

A Team Without Spark

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 was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet 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.

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 dribbled past keeper Alisson.

Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead

Slot and his fading champions ultimately had to take a 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 lethargic, ponderous and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart.

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 fine work of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were adventurous, confident and threatening.

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.