A Diminished Presence of His Dominant Stature - Liverpool's Captain Battles Decline
The intense attention that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool legend turned to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night.
Mohamed Salah has faced examination for his struggles this campaign - and was relegated to the substitutes' bench for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland came to town on Wednesday.
But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive rock as Liverpool have collected the complete set of major trophies, whose poor form became the focus during the 1-1 draw.
The Veteran Duo and Contract Extensions
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed lucrative new two-year deals in the summer, with barely a Liverpool question asked at the notion of offering extensions to a seasoned pair much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.
In fact, it was a moment of optimism - but now there is no denying the stark fact that levels have fallen concerningly for both.
Backline Issues and Summer Spending
Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team undertook a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like a good return.
Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the aura of invulnerability he has carried since his £75m transfer from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has received little support by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also fought his own battles, as highlighted by his rash handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
A Moment That Symbolized The Problem
It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before retreating and averting his body on a 25-yard shot that hit him and looped out of the reach of goalkeeper Alisson.
For a defender of such undoubted greatness, Van Dijk has an curious trait of shying away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.
Bad luck at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his unusual failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi capitalising.
"Van Dijk surrenders possession 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 hesitating."
The Numbers and A Lack of Command
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be dismissed after claiming two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a illustrious Liverpool career.
He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual dominant persona this season, with the lowest recovery numbers 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 exclusive domain alone in a Liverpool team full of experience, it was lacking here. No-one was rousing a team that once again looked lost to grab the game by the initiative.
Van Dijk's poor display, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an makeshift forward, was indicative of a horribly mediocre 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 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 pinned hopes on him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, 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 deflected in off Nordi Mukiele to set up what Liverpool hoped would be a thrilling finale.
Stoppage-time tension 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 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, labored and lacking in ideas. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried scant belief. Displays like this are the reason their defense of their crown has fallen apart.
But significant praise for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of serious ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were proactive, assured and dangerous.
Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is telling of the manner in which they have embraced 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.