A Fading Figure of His Imperious Self - Liverpool's Captain Fights Decline
The glaring spotlight that has been trained on one elite Liverpool legend shifted to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night.
The Egyptian forward has been under scrutiny for his poor form this season - and was placed on the sidelines for the second successive Premier League game as Sunderland visited on Wednesday.
But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a exceptional defensive rock as Liverpool have secured the full collection of major prizes, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the draw.
The Veteran Duo and New Deals
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both signed high-value two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the prospect of handing contracts to a experienced stars much nearer to the end of their careers than the start.
Indeed, it was a reason for joy - but now there is no denying the brutal reality that levels have fallen worryingly for both.
A Leaky Defense and Summer Spending
Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since boss Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team began a £450m summer refit that has still to demonstrate anything like its worth.
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 faced additional challenges by fellow defender Ibrahima Konate's loss of form, along with Milos Kerkez struggling to adapt at left-back. But the esteemed defender has also struggled badly, as proved by his panic-stricken handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavyweight Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
A Sequence That Summed Up The Problem
It was captured in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a merited lead, Van Dijk giving the ball away before standing off and turning away 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 cost.
Misfortune at the finale, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk courted with his atypical failure to act decisively, Sunderland's Talbi seizing the moment.
"Van Dijk loses the ball and then he just drops 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 was impeccable. Every game he was commanding, but right now he's slipping up and hesitating."
The Numbers and A Leadership Void
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be discarded after securing two Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup and two EFL Cups in a stellar Liverpool career.
He has, though, looked a pale imitation of his usual dominant persona this season, with the poest ball recovery rate 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 brimming with experience, it was absent here. No-one was inspiring a team that once again looked clueless to seize the initiative by the initiative.
Van Dijk's subpar showing, which ended with him being used as the desperate measure of acting as an last-ditch attacker, was indicative of a distinctly poor Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the outlier rather than the rule.
A Side Devoid of Inspiration
Slot kept faith 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 came on at the start of the second half as the Kop turned to him for inspiration. It never came, 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 grandstand finish.
Stoppage-time tension came - but at the other end. Liverpool were only avoided defeat 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 struggling title-holders ultimately had to take a point 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, ponderous and devoid of creativity. Even the typical final push after the equaliser carried little conviction. Showings like this are the reason their defense of their crown has crumbled.
But full acknowledgment for the Reds' struggles on Wednesday must be given to Sunderland, who are being rewarded for a summer of notable ambition in the transfer market, coupled with the superb management of Regis le Bris.
The Black Cats were positive, self-believing and threatening.
Sunderland are now sixth in the Premier League with 23 points. It is symptomatic 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 time for reflection.