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It's been a while, but Mohamed Salah returned assuming the starring role in recent days with two goals in Morocco that sealed Egypt's place at the 2026 World Cup. The star taking center stage yet again. The Merseyside club require him to keep that position.

Causes for Variable Displays

We see several factors why unsteady, unimpressive showings have been the frequent pattern characterizing Liverpool's beginning to their title defence, whether they produced seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's visit to Anfield on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The disruption from numerous new signings, the coach's hunt for his best XI, Diogo Jota's tragic death; Salah has felt the consequences of them all during his unusually low-key beginning to the campaign.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

The weekend's showpiece occasion could deliver the impetus for the origin of a record 16 goals in 17 appearances for the club against Manchester United, who are making their 100th visit to the stadium and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for over nine years. Salah will create Slot with another unforeseen dilemma, however, should he stay lost in the turmoil much longer.

Latest Performance

Liverpool's boss likely recognized the contrast of the player's first goal against Djibouti in midweek. Swept directly with the exterior of his left foot into the front post, Salah's eighth strike of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an very similar spot to his big mistake versus Chelsea before the break for internationals.

Had that attempt been scored moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating the new signing's maiden sublime pass in the Premier League. Analyses into Salah's drop and the team's rare defeat streak might also have been postponed. Instead, Wirtz's search continues while the coach stews over a third loss on the road, two caused by last-minute winners and another the result of a controversial spot-kick. Small margins, as Slot reiterated on Friday, but they cannot hide bigger issues.

Last Season's Influence

The forward was key in propelling the side towards a tying 20th league title last season while speculation over his future persisted in the backdrop. “We brought almost the best out of Salah that campaign,” said Slot when his top scorer signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. There has been a noticeable drop-off on an personal and collective level from then. The lineup, not the details of a deal, are accountable.

Statistical Decrease

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of scores and assists is lower half on the same stage the previous term, from a combined 8 in the initial seven fixtures of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) this term. His tally of shots has decreased from twenty-two to 12 while shots on target have dropped from 15 to five, contributing to a significant decline in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, statistics show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is his creativity. With 12 chances created, against fourteen at the comparable period of last term, his numbers stay among the finest in the continent and comparable in the group of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by fifteen and 13 years respectively.

Team Display

Measures of team output will concern Slot more. Salah had 76 contacts in the opposition penalty area in the first seven fixtures of the previous term. The current campaign's tally is thirty-nine. The numbers are indicative of the team's problems overall. Just United and Arsenal have attempted a greater number of shots on goal than them this season, but the team's proportion of shots from within the six-yard box is the smallest in the division, their percentage from long range among the highest. The club's proportion of shots on target – 28.4% – is also among the weakest in the league.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mainly scored from a moment of magic from one of our front three and in the later stage it was more from a set piece,” Slot said. “This season we have not seen as numerous acts of brilliance and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the team that from live action creates the highest expected goals opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They are not hurting rivals in the manner the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were signed recently, though Liverpool stay the division's third-best scorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for Slot to achieve the 100-point mark in fewer games than any boss in Liverpool's past (forty-six). Imagine what his forward line will do when it finally gels. Liverpool are still a team of outstanding individual quality, able to igniting and chasing any opponent for the championship, but synergy is absent. This cannot be attributed on the recent arrivals alone.

Individual and Team Issues

The player is not the only senior player to suffer a dip, with the midfielder returning to form and Ibrahima Konaté laboring. But he ends up at the center of the turmoil that has lately engulfed Liverpool. That applies to a individual level, with Salah's sorrow over the death of Diogo Jota obvious on that emotional first game against the Cherries. The impact of Jota's death can not be assessed nor ignored.

Tactical Adjustments

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