A Shadow of His Imperious Self - Van Dijk Fights Decline
The unforgiving attention that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night.
The Egyptian forward has faced examination for his poor form this campaign - and was placed on the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as the Black Cats arrived on Wednesday.
But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the complete set of major trophies, whose struggles took center stage during the stalemate.
The Veteran Duo and New Deals
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both agreed to lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the notion of offering extensions to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start.
In fact, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no avoiding the brutal reality that performance has dipped concerningly for both.
Backline Issues and A Major Overhaul
Liverpool have been susceptible in defence ever since head coach Arne Slot and the club's transfer committee began a £450m summer rebuild that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth.
At the same time, Van Dijk has started to lose the aura of invulnerability he has possessed since his £75m move 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 failing to settle at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as highlighted by his rash handball that conceded a penalty in the significant Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
A Sequence That Symbolized The Problem
It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a well-earned lead, Van Dijk losing possession before standing off and averting his body 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 unusual habit of turning his back 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 seizing the moment.
"Van Dijk surrenders possession and then he just backs 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 impeccable. Every game he was imperious, but right now he's erring and hesitating."
The Numbers and A Lack of Command
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's caliber 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 worst recoveries 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 packed with experience, it was absent here. No-one was rousing 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 emergency option of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was symptomatic of a deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the norm.
A Side Without Spark
Slot stayed with the side that stopped a run of nine losses in 12 games at London Stadium, Salah once more watching from the sidelines.
The Egyptian was introduced at the start of the second half as the Kop looked to him for inspiration. It never came, 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.
Late drama 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.
Praise Deserved and The Road Forward
Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to take a point knowing it could have been worse, with Alisson blessed 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, labored and short on invention. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has crumbled.
But significant praise 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 fine work 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 indicative of the manner in which they have adapted to 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 back to the drawing board.
