A Fading Figure of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Battles A Dip in Form
The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one elite Liverpool great turned to another on Anfield's most recent disappointing night.
Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form this campaign - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday.
But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have secured the complete set of top honors, whose poor form became the focus during the stalemate.
The Seasoned Stars and Contract Extensions
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool concern voiced at the prospect of securing the futures to a veteran duo much approaching the end of their careers than the start.
Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that performance has dipped concerningly for both.
Defensive Vulnerabilities and Summer Spending
Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like its worth.
Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to shed the air of invincibility he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated by his rash handball that conceded a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
An Incident That Symbolized The Issue
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 undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an peculiar tendency of turning his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.
Ill fortune at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.
"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. 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 faultless. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's erring and doubting himself."
Statistical Decline and A Lack of Command
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be discarded after winning 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 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 sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team brimming with experience, it was missing here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked clueless to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an makeshift forward, was indicative of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the standard.
A Side Lacking Inspiration
Slot kept faith 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 ineffective 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 deflected in 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 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 beaten keeper Alisson.
Praise Deserved and Looking Ahead
Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to accept the 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 sluggish, unimaginative and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Performances like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has crumbled.
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 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 symptomatic of the manner in which they have adapted to life in the Premier League that they will be unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.
For Slot and Liverpool, it is a case of going back to basics.
