A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Battles Decline
The unforgiving spotlight that has centered around one global Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's latest frustrating night.
Mohamed Salah has come under fire for his poor form this season - and was consigned to the bench for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday.
But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have secured the complete set of major prizes, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the 1-1 draw.
The Seasoned Stars and New Deals
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the idea of offering extensions to a veteran duo much closer to the end of their careers than the start.
Truly, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no escaping the stark fact that standards have dropped concerningly for both.
Defensive Vulnerabilities and Summer Spending
Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like a good return.
At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the air of invincibility he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has received little support by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as proved by his panic-stricken handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
A Sequence That Summed Up The Struggle
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 turning his back on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.
For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an curious trait of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.
Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his uncharacteristic failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi taking advantage.
"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just drops 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 faultless. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's erring and second-guessing himself."
The Numbers and A Lack of Command
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be discarded after claiming two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering Liverpool career.
He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual dominant persona this season, with the worst recoveries 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 lost to seize the initiative by the initiative.
Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the rule.
A Team Devoid of Inspiration
Slot kept faith 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 was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous 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 outstanding recovery run 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 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 sluggish, ponderous and short on invention. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Displays 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 rewarded for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were proactive, confident and dangerous.
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 time for reflection.