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It has been a while, but Mohamed Salah reappeared playing the starring role in recent days with a brace in Morocco that secured Egypt's spot at the 2026 World Cup. The star stepping on the limelight once more. The Merseyside club need him to keep that position.

Factors for Unsteady Displays

There exist numerous reasons why inconsistent, unimpressive showings have been the common thread defining the team's opening to their title defence, if they recorded a winning streak or, before the Red Devils' visit to Anfield on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The upheaval from multiple new signings, the coach's search for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's loss; the winger has endured the effect of them all during his unusually quiet opening to the season.

The Weekend's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's big match could offer the spark for the cause of a record 16 goals in 17 games for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not triumphed at their fierce rivals for more than nine years. The attacker will present the manager with a further surprise issue, though, should he remain lost in the disruption for an extended period.

Recent Performance

Liverpool's head coach must have noticed the irony of Salah's initial score against the opponent last Wednesday. Struck directly with the outside of his stronger foot into the near post, his eighth strike of the national team's World Cup qualifying campaign was from an almost identical position to his big mistake in the Chelsea match prior to the national team pause.

Had that shot with his right been converted moments after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would even now be celebrating the new signing's first sublime setup in the Premier League. Discussions into his dip and the team's infrequent losing run might as well have been avoided. Instead, the midfielder's wait goes on while Slot fumes over a third consecutive away defeat, two caused by late goals and one the result of a disputed penalty. Fine lines, as he reiterated on Friday, but they do not camouflage bigger issues.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

Salah was key in propelling the side towards a tying 20th league title last season while uncertainty over his career persisted in the background. We achieved nearly the best out of Salah last term,” said the manager when his top scorer signed a fresh deal in April. We have seen a obvious decrease on an individual and team level since. The lineup, not the details of a contract, are to blame.

Performance Decrease

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of goals and assists is reduced half on the corresponding point the prior campaign, from a total eight in the opening seven fixtures of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this term. His number of shots has dropped from twenty-two to 12 while accurate shots have dropped from fifteen to five, contributing to a steep decline in shooting accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, data show.

A single trait that has remained consistent is his playmaking. With 12 key passes, compared with 14 at the comparable period of last campaign, his numbers stay among the finest in Europe and comparable in the company of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years each.

Team Performance

Measures of collective display will concern Slot more. Salah had seventy-six touches in the opposition penalty area in the first seven matches of last season. This term's total is thirty-nine. These figures are indicative of the squad's issues overall. Only United and the Gunners have taken more shots on goal than Liverpool now, but Liverpool's rate of attempts from inside the six-yard area is the smallest in the top flight, their ratio from outside the area among the top. Liverpool's rate of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is also among the poorest in the competition.

During the initial phase of last season we mainly found the net from a special moment from one of our front three and in the later stage it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “This season we have not seen as numerous moments of genius and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from general play generates the most xG chances.”

Recent Additions

They are not beating foes in the manner the coach imagined when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired recently, although Liverpool are the league's equal third-top goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be sufficient for Slot to reach the century of points in fewer games than any manager in Liverpool's history (forty-six). Imagine what his offense will do when it does settle. The side remain a team of supreme talent, equipped to starting and chasing any foe for the title, but unity is absent. That cannot be attributed on the summer recruits alone.

Individual and Team Problems

Salah is not the only established member to suffer a dip, with the midfielder regaining to fitness and the defender toiling. But he is at the heart of the disruption that has recently affected the club. This extends to a personal level, with Salah's sadness over the death of Jota clear on that poignant season opener against Bournemouth. The influence of his tragedy can not be quantified nor ignored.

Strategic Adjustments

Last season, he