A Diminished Presence of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Battles Decline
The glaring spotlight that has centered around one world-class Liverpool legend switched to another on Anfield's most recent frustrating night.
Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his subpar performances this season - and was relegated to the substitutes' bench for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday.
But it was skipper Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive foundation as Liverpool have secured the full collection of top honors, whose struggles came under the microscope during the stalemate.
The Experienced Pair and New Deals
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool question asked at the prospect of handing contracts to a seasoned pair much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.
In fact, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that performance has dipped worryingly for both.
Defensive Vulnerabilities and A Costly Refit
Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has still to demonstrate anything like a good return.
Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has carried since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has faced additional challenges 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 fought his own battles, as demonstrated by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavyweight 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 deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that struck him and drifted out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.
For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an unusual habit of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.
Bad luck at the conclusion, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his atypical failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.
"Van Dijk gives the ball away and then he just retreats. It's the incorrect choice. 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 erring and doubting himself."
Performance Metrics and Missing Leadership
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be discarded after winning 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 imperious self this season, with the worst recoveries per game during his Liverpool career, while key defensive stats are also down on last season.
And, while leadership should not be Van Dijk's preserve alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was missing here. No-one was motivating a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the throat.
Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the emergency option 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 standard.
A Team Lacking Ideas
Slot persisted 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 turned to 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 greater pressure had Florian Wirtz's 81st-minute shot not been turned in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a grandstand finish.
Late drama 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 beaten keeper Alisson.
Credit Due and Looking Ahead
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 slow, ponderous and short on invention. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried minimal threat. Displays like this are the reason their title defence 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 serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the excellent coaching of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were adventurous, assured and dangerous.
Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is indicative of the manner in which they have grown into 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 back to the drawing board.