A Fading Figure of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Grapples With Waning Influence

The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one global Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night.

Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form this season - and was relegated to the bench for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.

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

The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the idea of handing contracts to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no escaping the brutal reality that levels have fallen worryingly 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 undertook a £450m summer refit that has not yet shown anything like value for money.

Simultaneously, Van Dijk has started to shed the sense of being untouchable he has held since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has not been helped by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the renowned star has also fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

A Moment That Symbolized The Problem

It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before retreating and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

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

Ill fortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his atypical failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just backs off. 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 faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's erring and doubting himself."

Statistical Decline 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 glittering Liverpool career.

He has, though, looked a faded version of his usual dominant persona this season, with the worst recoveries 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 sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to grab the game by the initiative.

Van Dijk's difficult night, 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 norm.

A Team 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 pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous after opening his account 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 dramatic ending.

Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment 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 rounded keeper Alisson.

Credit Due and Looking Ahead

Slot and his underperforming defending champions 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 lethargic, labored and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Showings like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled.

But significant praise 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 fine work of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were proactive, 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 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 time for reflection.