A Shadow of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Fights A Dip in Form
The unforgiving attention that has centered around one elite Liverpool great shifted to another on Anfield's most recent desperate night.
Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form this season - and was relegated to the substitutes' bench for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.
But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the array of major trophies, whose struggles came under the microscope during the stalemate.
The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of handing contracts to a seasoned pair much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.
In fact, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no avoiding the stark fact that performance has dipped alarmingly for both.
Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Major Overhaul
Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer refit that has not yet shown anything like its worth.
Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has faced additional challenges by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as demonstrated by his rash handball that gave away a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
An Incident That Symbolized The Struggle
It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before retreating and turning his back 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 peculiar tendency of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.
Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.
"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just backs 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 commanding, but right now he's making mistakes and second-guessing himself."
Performance Metrics and Missing Leadership
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be discarded after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a illustrious Liverpool career.
He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual commanding presence 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 absent here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked lost to seize the initiative by the scruff of the neck.
Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an makeshift forward, was representative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the standard.
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 observing from the sidelines.
The Egyptian came on at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after getting off the mark 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 grandstand finish.
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 beaten keeper Alisson.
Praise Deserved and The Road Forward
Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to take a point 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 slow, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Performances like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has fallen apart.
But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being seeing the results for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were proactive, self-believing 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 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.