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It has been some time, but Liverpool's forward reappeared playing the starring role in recent days with a double in Casablanca that secured Egypt's spot at the 2026 World Cup. The star stepping on center stage yet again. Liverpool require him to stay there.

Causes for Unsteady Displays

There exist many factors why unsteady, unconvincing showings have been the recurring theme running through the team's beginning to their title defence, whether they produced a winning streak or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, a losing run. The turmoil from numerous new signings, the coach's hunt for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's loss; the winger has felt the consequences of them all during his unusually subdued beginning to the campaign.

The Weekend's Big Match

Sunday's key fixture could offer the catalyst for the source of a record 16 goals in 17 appearances for the club against United, who are paying their 100th visit to Anfield and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for more than nine years. Salah will pose the manager with a further unexpected problem, though, if he remain lost in the upheaval much longer.

Current Display

Liverpool's head coach must have noticed the contrast of Salah's opening strike against Djibouti in midweek. Swept immediately with the exterior of his left foot into the front post, Salah's eighth strike of Egypt's qualification run originated from an almost identical position to his expensive error in the Chelsea match before the national team pause.

Had that shot with his right been converted shortly after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would still be praising Florian Wirtz's maiden sublime setup in the Premier League. Inquests into his dip and the team's unusual losing run might as well have been avoided. Instead, the midfielder's wait continues while the coach fumes over a third consecutive away defeat, two inflicted by dying-minute strikes and another the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Narrow differences, as Slot reiterated on recently, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Last Season's Contribution

The forward was instrumental in propelling the side towards a historic 20th league title last season while uncertainty over his long-term plans rumbled in the backdrop. “We brought almost the best out of Salah last term,” said the manager when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a clear decrease on an personal and team level since. The squad, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Statistical Decrease

The 33-year-old's output in terms of scores and setups is down 50% on the corresponding stage last season, from a total 8 in the opening seven fixtures of 2024-25 to four (two goals and two assists) this term. The count of attempts has decreased from twenty-two to 12 while efforts on goal have dropped from 15 to 5, contributing to a steep drop in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, statistics show.

One attribute that has remained consistent is Salah's playmaking. With twelve chances created, against 14 at the comparable period of the previous season, his stats are among the top in the continent and comparable in the group of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years each.

Team Output

Indicators of team output will trouble Slot further. Salah had 76 contacts in the enemy box in the opening seven league games of the prior campaign. This season's tally is thirty-nine. The stats are symptomatic of the team's difficulties as a whole. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have taken more shots on goal than Liverpool this season, but Liverpool's rate of shots from within the goal area is the smallest in the top flight, their share from outside the area among the greatest. The club's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – is as well among the poorest in the league.

During the initial phase of the previous campaign we mainly scored from a moment of magic from an attacker and in the later stage it was more from a dead ball,” the manager said. “This season we lack as numerous acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from live action creates the highest xG chances.”

New Signings

They aren't punishing foes in the fashion the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were signed recently, while the team are the division's third-best goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for him to achieve the century of points in fewer games than any boss in Liverpool's history (forty-six). Consider what his attack will do when it finally gels. The side are still a team of exceptional talent, capable of igniting and chasing any rival for the championship, but unity is missing. That cannot be blamed on the new signings only.

Individual and Collective Challenges

The player is not the only established member to experience a decline, with the midfielder working his way back to form and the defender laboring. But he finds himself at the core of the turmoil that has recently engulfed Liverpool. That extends to a individual level, with Salah's sadness over the death of Jota obvious on that poignant opening night against the Cherries. The impact of Jota's loss can neither be assessed nor dismissed.

Tactical Adjustments

Last season, he