The intense focus that has been trained on one elite Liverpool icon shifted to another on Anfield's fresh desperate night.
Mohamed Salah has been under scrutiny for his poor form this season - and was relegated to the sidelines for the consecutive Premier League game as Sunderland arrived on Wednesday.
But it was leader Virgil van Dijk, a peerless defensive bedrock as Liverpool have secured the array of major prizes, whose dip in performance came under the microscope during the 1-1 draw.
Van Dijk, 34, and Salah, 33, both inked new lucrative two-year deals in the summer, with not one Liverpool question asked at the prospect of securing the futures to a experienced stars much closer to the end of their careers than the start.
Truly, it was a cause of celebration - but now there is no denying the stark fact that standards have dropped worryingly for both.
Liverpool have been exposed in defence ever since manager Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team began a £450m summer overhaul that has yet to prove anything like a good return.
Concurrently, Van Dijk has started to forfeit the sense of being untouchable he has held since his £75m switch from Southampton in January 2018.
Van Dijk has received little support by defensive partner Ibrahima Konate's dramatic dip, 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 desperate handball that resulted in a penalty in the heavy Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
It was exemplified in the 67th minute on Wednesday when Chemsdine Talbi gave Sunderland a deserved lead, Van Dijk losing possession 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 unquestionable quality, Van Dijk has an curious trait of turning away on the ball, sometimes to Liverpool's detriment.
Bad luck at the end, yes, but it was a situation Van Dijk invited 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 making mistakes and doubting himself."
As with Salah, a player of Van Dijk's stature must not be dismissed 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 shadow of his usual commanding presence this season, with the lowest recovery numbers per game during his Liverpool career, while defensive actions 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 rousing a team that once again looked bewildered to seize the initiative by the throat.
Van Dijk's difficult night, which ended with him being used as the last resort of acting as an makeshift forward, was representative of a horribly mediocre Liverpool performance - which made Sunday's win at West Ham seem like the exception rather than the norm.
Slot persisted with the side that ended 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 turned to him for inspiration. It was not forthcoming, with £125m Alexander Isak also anonymous 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 taken a deflection 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 avoided defeat in stoppage time when Federico Chiesa's excellent defensive sprint allowed him to turn Sunderland substitute Wilson Isidor's shot off the line after he had beaten keeper Alisson.
Slot and his underperforming defending champions ultimately had to accept the 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, labored and lacking in ideas. Even the traditional late rally after the equaliser carried little conviction. Performances like this are the reason their title defence has collapsed.
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 proactive, confident and dangerous.
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 unhappy they left Anfield without adding two more to their tally.
For Slot and Liverpool, it is back to the drawing board.
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