A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Grapples With A Dip in Form
The intense focus that has fallen upon one world-class Liverpool legend shifted to another on Anfield's latest disappointing night.
Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form this campaign - and was relegated to the bench for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday.
But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the array of top honors, whose dip in performance became the focus during the stalemate.
The Veteran Duo and Renewed Terms
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool concern voiced at the idea of offering extensions to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.
Truly, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that performance has dipped concerningly for both.
Backline Issues and Summer Spending
Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like value for money.
At the same time, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the sense of being untouchable he has held since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has received little support by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the renowned star has also struggled badly, as highlighted by his desperate handball that conceded a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
A Moment That Summed Up The Struggle
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 averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit 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 disadvantage.
Bad luck at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage.
"Van Dijk loses the ball 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 was impeccable. Every game he was dominant, but right now he's making mistakes and hesitating."
Performance Metrics and Missing Leadership
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree 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 pale imitation of his usual imperious self 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 preserve alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked bewildered to take control 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 indicative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the rule.
A Team Devoid of Spark
Slot stayed 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 looked to him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, 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 been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale.
Stoppage-time tension 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 dribbled past keeper Alisson.
Credit Due and The Road Forward
Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to settle for a draw 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, ponderous and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Displays like this are the reason their title defence has collapsed.
But huge credit 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 proactive, confident and a genuine threat.
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.
