A Shadow of His Commanding Persona - Liverpool's Captain Fights Waning Influence
The glaring spotlight that has been trained on one world-class Liverpool icon turned to another on Anfield's fresh frustrating night.
The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his poor form this season - and was placed on the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as the Black Cats came to town on Wednesday.
But it was captain Virgil van Dijk, a unmatched defensive rock as Liverpool have swept up the full collection of top honors, whose poor form became the focus during the draw.
The Experienced Pair and New Deals
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with scarcely a Liverpool eyebrow raised at the prospect of offering extensions to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.
Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the harsh truth that performance has dipped alarmingly for both.
A Leaky Defense 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 not yet shown anything like a good return.
Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the sense of being untouchable he has held since his £75m move from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has not been helped by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, along with Milos Kerkez not finding his feet at left-back. But the renowned star has also struggled badly, as proved 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 deserved lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and turning away 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 turning his back on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's disadvantage.
Misfortune at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited with his uncharacteristic failure to make a decisive move, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.
"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 making mistakes and second-guessing himself."
Performance Metrics and A Leadership Void
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's pedigree must not be written off after claiming two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a glittering Liverpool career.
He has, though, looked a shadow of his usual commanding presence 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 sole responsibility alone in a Liverpool team packed with experience, it was absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to take control by the throat.
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 deeply underwhelming Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the anomaly rather than the standard.
A Side Devoid of Ideas
Slot stayed 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 emerged 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 opening his account with his first league goal for Liverpool on Sunday.
Slot would have been under increased scrutiny 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.
A late scare came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only saved from humiliation 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.
Credit Due and Looking Ahead
Slot and his struggling title-holders ultimately had to accept the 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, unimaginative and devoid of creativity. Even the customary late surge after the equaliser carried scant belief. Displays 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 clear intent in the transfer market, coupled with the fine work of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were positive, confident and threatening.
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 disappointed they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.
For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.
