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It has been some time, but Liverpool's forward was back taking on the starring role last week with a double in Casablanca that confirmed the Egyptian team's place at the 2026 World Cup. The key player claiming the limelight another time. Liverpool require him to stay there.

Causes for Inconsistent Showings

There are numerous factors why variable, unimpressive performances have been the frequent pattern characterizing the team's opening to their title defence, if they produced seven wins in a row or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Anfield on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The turmoil from multiple new signings, Arne Slot's quest for his best XI, Diogo Jota's passing; the winger has endured the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key opening to the term.

Sunday's Big Match

The weekend's showpiece occasion could deliver the spark for the cause of a record 16 goals in 17 outings for the club against Manchester United, who are making their centenary trip to Anfield and have not won at their biggest foes for almost a decade. The attacker will present Slot with an additional unforeseen dilemma, yet, should he continue lost in the disruption indefinitely.

Recent Performance

Liverpool's head coach must have noticed the irony of Salah's opening strike against the opponent recently. Drilled immediately with the exterior of his stronger foot into the near post, Salah's eighth score of the national team's World Cup qualifying campaign originated from an almost identical location to his big mistake versus Chelsea before the international break.

If that right-foot effort been scored shortly after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would even now be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first excellent setup in the English top flight. Inquests into his decline and the team's rare losing streak might also have been avoided. Instead, Wirtz's search continues while Slot fumes over a third away defeat, two caused by dying-minute strikes and another the result of a debatable penalty. Fine lines, as he repeated on recently, but they do not mask larger problems.

Last Season's Impact

Salah was instrumental in propelling the side towards a historic 20th championship the previous term while doubt over his future persisted in the backdrop. We extracted almost the utmost out of Mo this season,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in the spring. There has been a clear drop-off on an personal and team level since. The squad, not the terms of a deal, are responsible.

Statistical Decline

His contribution in terms of goals and assists is lower 50% on the corresponding stage the prior campaign, from a total 8 in the opening seven fixtures of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) the current campaign. The count of shots has dropped from twenty-two to 12 while accurate shots have dropped from fifteen to 5, contributing to a sharp drop in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, data show.

A single trait that has held more steady is his playmaking. With 12 opportunities made, compared with fourteen at the comparable period of last campaign, his stats are among the finest in Europe and up in the company of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his younger counterparts by fifteen and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Performance

Indicators of team display will worry Slot additionally. Salah had seventy-six touches in the enemy box in the initial seven fixtures of the previous term. The current campaign's tally is 39. The stats are reflective of the squad's problems as a whole. Only United and Arsenal have tried a greater number of shots on goal than them this season, but the team's percentage of attempts from within the goal area is the smallest in the top flight, their percentage from long range among the top. The club's rate of shots on target – 28.4% – is also among the poorest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we primarily scored from a special moment from an attacker and in the second half it was mostly from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Now we lack as numerous acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the side that from open play creates the most quality opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They aren't beating opponents in the way the coach imagined when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were acquired recently, although Liverpool remain the league's equal third-top goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for Slot to attain the century of points in fewer games than any manager in the club's past (forty-six). Think what his forward line will do when it clicks. Liverpool are still a squad of outstanding talent, equipped to igniting and catching any foe for the championship, but unity is lacking. This can not be blamed on the summer recruits by themselves.

Personal and Collective Issues

Salah is not the only senior member to suffer a drop-off, with the midfielder returning to fitness and the defender laboring. But he finds himself at the center of the disruption that has recently affected Liverpool. This extends to a individual level, with his sadness over the death of Jota clear on that poignant first game against Bournemouth. The impact of Jota's loss can neither be assessed nor ignored.

Strategic Changes

In the prior campaign, he