A Shadow of His Dominant Stature - Van Dijk Grapples With Decline
The unforgiving attention that has fallen upon one elite Liverpool icon shifted to another on Anfield's most recent frustrating night.
The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his subpar performances this season - and was placed on the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday.
But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive foundation as Liverpool have collected the array of major trophies, whose struggles became the focus during the draw.
The Seasoned Stars and Renewed Terms
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked high-value two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of securing the futures to a experienced stars much closer 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 worryingly for both.
A Leaky Defense and A Major Overhaul
Liverpool have been vulnerable in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team embarked on a £450m summer rebuild that has not yet shown anything like value for money.
At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the air of invincibility he has held since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's collapse in form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the renowned star has also had significant difficulties, as demonstrated 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 Struggle
It was encapsulated in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk surrendering the ball before backing away and turning his back on a 25-yard shot that deflected off him and floated out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.
For a defender of such proven caliber, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's cost.
Misfortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his atypical failure to take charge, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.
"Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just backs off. 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 commanding, but right now he's slipping up and second-guessing himself."
Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be dismissed 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 faded version of his usual commanding presence 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 full of experience, it was missing here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the initiative.
Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the emergency option of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm.
A Side Devoid of Ideas
Slot kept faith with the side that ended a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines.
The Egyptian came on 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 ineffective 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 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 avoided defeat 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 underperforming defending champions ultimately had to settle for a draw knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson lucky 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, unimaginative and lacking in ideas. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried scant belief. Performances like this are the reason their attempt to retain the title 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 notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were adventurous, 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 time for reflection.
