A Fading Figure of His Imperious Self - Liverpool's Captain Grapples With Decline

The glaring attention that has been trained on one elite Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's most recent desperate night.

The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his poor form this season - and was placed on the substitutes' bench for the second straight Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday.

But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive bedrock as Liverpool have swept up the array of top honors, whose poor form became the focus during the 1-1 draw.

The Seasoned Stars and New Deals

Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to high-value two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of handing contracts to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.

In fact, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no escaping the stark fact that standards have dropped worryingly for both.

Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit

Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's scouting department embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has yet to prove anything like value for money.

At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the sense of being untouchable he has possessed since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.

Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the great Dutchman has also struggled badly, as highlighted by his desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.

An Incident That Encapsulated The Problem

It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk losing possession before backing away and turning away on a 25-yard shot that struck him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.

For a defender of such proven caliber, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.

Ill fortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk provoked with his atypical failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.

"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 couldn't make a mistake. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's making mistakes and doubting himself."

The Numbers and Missing Leadership

As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature 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 commanding presence this season, with the poest ball recovery rate per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions are also down on last season.

And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's preserve alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked lost to take control by the initiative.

Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the last resort 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 anomaly rather than the norm.

A Team Without Spark

Slot kept faith 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 was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It failed to materialize, with £125m Alexander Isak also quiet after getting off the mark with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.

Slot would have been under increased scrutiny 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 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 Looking Ahead

Slot and his underperforming defending champions 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 customary late surge after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title has crumbled.

But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being reaping the benefits for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.

The Black Cats were positive, self-believing and threatening.

Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling 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.