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It has been a while, but Liverpool's forward was back playing the main part recently with a brace in Casablanca that sealed Egypt's place at the upcoming World Cup. The key player taking the spotlight yet again. Liverpool require him to keep that position.

Factors for Variable Performances

There exist many factors why inconsistent, unconvincing displays have been the frequent pattern running through the team's start to their title defence, if they achieved seven wins in a row or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Anfield on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The upheaval from so many offseason moves, Arne Slot's quest for his top team, Diogo Jota's tragic death; the winger has endured the impact of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key beginning to the campaign.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's showpiece occasion could offer the spark for the cause of a record 16 strikes in 17 outings for Liverpool against United, who are making their 100th visit to the stadium and have not triumphed at their archrivals for more than nine years. The attacker will present Slot with a further unexpected problem, yet, should he continue caught in the upheaval for an extended period.

Current Performance

The team's boss likely seen the paradox of the player's opening strike against Djibouti last Wednesday. Drilled first time with the exterior of his left foot into the front post, his eighth strike of the national team's qualifying effort came from an nearly the same position to his expensive error in the Chelsea match prior to the national team pause.

If that shot with his right been finished moments after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be eulogising the new signing's first sublime pass in the league. Discussions into Salah's decline and the team's rare losing streak might as well have been avoided. Rather, the midfielder's search goes on while the coach fumes over a third away defeat, a couple due to dying-minute strikes and one the result of a disputed penalty. Narrow differences, as Slot reiterated on recently, but they cannot hide bigger issues.

Last Season's Contribution

Salah was instrumental in propelling Liverpool towards a tying 20th championship the prior campaign while doubt over his future rumbled in the background. “We brought nearly the maximum out of Salah this season,” said the manager when his main attacker signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a noticeable drop-off on an individual and collective level from then. The team, not the terms of a deal, are accountable.

Statistical Decline

His output in terms of scores and setups is down half on the same stage the prior campaign, from a total 8 in the opening seven league games of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this term. His tally of attempts has fallen from twenty-two to 12 while efforts on goal have fallen from fifteen to five, causing a significant fall in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, statistics show.

A particular skill that has stayed stable is Salah's chance creation. With 12 opportunities made, against 14 at the same stage of last term, his numbers are among the finest in the continent and up in the ranks of young talents and rising stars, his juniors by 15 and 13 years each.

Collective Performance

Measures of collective performance will worry Slot additionally. Salah had 76 contacts in the opposition box in the first seven league games of last season. The current campaign's tally is 39. The numbers are reflective of the team's issues overall. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have taken more attempts on goal than Liverpool this season, but the team's rate of attempts from inside the six-yard area is the poorest in the division, their share from outside the area among the top. The club's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4% – is as well among the poorest in the league.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we primarily found the net from a special moment from an attacker and in the later stage it was mostly from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Now we have not seen as numerous acts of brilliance and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are still the side that from open play generates the most xG chances.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not beating opponents in the way the coach imagined when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were brought on board this summer, although Liverpool remain the division's third-best goalscorers. A tie on the weekend would be sufficient for him to reach the 100-point mark in fewer games than any coach in the club's past (46). Imagine what his attack will do when it finally gels. The side are still a team of outstanding individual quality, able to starting and reeling in any rival for the championship, but cohesion is missing. This can not be blamed on the summer recruits alone.

Personal and Collective Issues

The player is not the sole key member to experience a decline, with the midfielder working his way back to form and the defender toiling. But he finds himself at the core of the turmoil that has recently affected the club. That applies to a personal level, with his sorrow over the loss of Jota clear on that poignant first game against the Cherries. The effect of his death can neither be quantified nor overlooked.

Strategic Adjustments

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