A Fading Figure of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Battles A Dip in Form

The intense attention that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's most recent frustrating night.

The Egyptian forward has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the bench for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the array of major prizes, whose poor form came under the microscope during the draw.

The Experienced Pair and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the idea of handing contracts to a veteran duo much closer to the end of their careers than the start.

In fact, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the stark fact that performance has dipped concerningly for both.

A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team began a £450m summer overhaul that has not yet shown anything like its worth.

Simultaneously, 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 dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as proved by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy 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 backing away and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that struck him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.

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

"Van Dijk gives the ball away 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 was impeccable. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and doubting himself."

Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command

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 stellar Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual commanding presence this season, with the lowest recovery numbers per game during his Liverpool career, while tackles and interceptions 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 absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the scruff of the neck.

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 distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the standard.

A Team Lacking Ideas

Slot stayed with the side that halted a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines.

The Egyptian was introduced 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 scoring his first with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not taken a deflection off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish.

A late scare 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.

Praise Deserved and The Road Forward

Slot and his fading 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, ponderous and devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has fallen apart.

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, assured and dangerous.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic of the manner in which they have grown into 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.