A Diminished Presence of His Commanding Persona - Van Dijk Fights A Dip in Form
The intense focus that has been trained on one elite Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's most recent desperate night.
The Egyptian forward has come under fire for his struggles this season - and was consigned to the substitutes' bench for the second straight Premier League game as the Black Cats visited on Wednesday.
But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have collected the array of major prizes, whose poor form came under the microscope during the 1-1 draw.
The Experienced Pair and Contract Extensions
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool concern voiced at the notion of offering extensions to a veteran duo much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.
In fact, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no escaping the stark fact that standards have dropped alarmingly for both.
Backline Issues and A Costly Refit
Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like value for money.
Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the sense of being untouchable he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has not been helped by center-back colleague Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the renowned star has also had significant difficulties, as highlighted by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
A Sequence That Symbolized The Problem
It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before retreating and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.
For a defender of such unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost.
Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his atypical failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.
"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just retreats. 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 impeccable. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating."
Performance Metrics and A Lack of Command
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber must not be dismissed 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 shadow of his usual commanding presence 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 lacking here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an emergency striker, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the norm.
A Team Devoid of Inspiration
Slot persisted with the side that halted 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 never came, with £125m Alexander Isak also ineffective after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.
Slot would have been under even more pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a dramatic ending.
Late drama came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only spared embarrassment in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's excellent defensive sprint 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 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 slow, ponderous and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has fallen apart.
But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were adventurous, assured and threatening.
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 a case of going back to basics.
