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It's been a while, but the Egyptian star returned playing the lead part in recent days with a double in Morocco that confirmed Egypt's position at the 2026 World Cup. The star claiming the limelight another time. Liverpool need him to keep that position.

Causes for Inconsistent Displays

There are numerous reasons why variable, unimpressive performances have been the common thread running through Liverpool's start to their league defense, if they achieved seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Anfield on Sunday, a losing run. The upheaval from numerous summer changes, Arne Slot's quest for his top team, the late forward's passing; Salah has felt the impact of them all during his atypically low-key opening to the term.

The Weekend's Showpiece Occasion

The weekend's big match could provide the spark for the cause of a record 16 goals in 17 games for the club against Manchester United, who are making their 100th visit to the stadium and have not succeeded at their archrivals for more than nine years. The attacker will pose Slot with a further surprise issue, though, if he remain lost in the turmoil much longer.

Latest Form

Liverpool's head coach must have noticed the contrast of Salah's opening strike against Djibouti last Wednesday. Struck directly with the exterior of his left foot inside the near post, Salah's eighth score of the national team's qualifying effort originated from an nearly the same location to his expensive error versus Chelsea prior to the break for internationals.

If that shot with his right been scored shortly after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be eulogising the new signing's first excellent assist in the English top flight. Analyses into his dip and the team's rare defeat streak might as well have been delayed. Rather, Wirtz's search continues while the coach stews over a third consecutive defeat away, a couple due to dying-minute strikes and one the result of a disputed penalty. Fine lines, as he reiterated on recently, but they do not mask larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Impact

Salah was key in propelling the side towards a record-equalling 20th league title the previous term while speculation over his career persisted in the backdrop. We achieved almost the best out of Mo that campaign,” said the manager when his main attacker signed an extension in the spring. There has been a obvious decrease on an personal and collective level from then. The team, not the details of a deal, are responsible.

Statistical Decrease

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of scores and setups is reduced half on the corresponding point last season, from a total 8 in the first seven fixtures of 2024-25 to four (two goals and two assists) the current campaign. His number of shots has fallen from 22 to twelve while shots on target have declined from 15 to 5, contributing to a steep drop in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, figures show.

One attribute that has stayed stable is his playmaking. With 12 key passes, versus 14 at the same stage of last campaign, his figures stay among the best in Europe and comparable in the ranks of young talents and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by fifteen and 13 years each.

Team Display

Indicators of team output will concern Slot further. Salah had 76 contacts in the enemy box in the opening seven league games of the prior campaign. This term's count is thirty-nine. These figures are reflective of the squad's issues in general. Only United and the Gunners have tried a greater number of shots on goal than Liverpool this season, but Liverpool's proportion of shots from within the six-yard area is the poorest in the top flight, their ratio from long range among the highest. Liverpool's rate of shots on target – 28.4% – is as well among the weakest in the league.

“In the first half of last season we primarily scored from a moment of magic from a forward and in the second half it was more from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Now we lack as many acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the team that from general play creates the highest expected goals opportunities.”

New Signings

They are not punishing rivals in the way the coach imagined when Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired this summer, while the team stay the league's equal third-top goalscorers. A tie on Sunday would be sufficient for him to achieve the 100-point total in fewer games than any boss in the club's history (46). Imagine what his offense will do when it does settle. The side are still a squad of outstanding individual quality, capable of igniting and catching any rival for the championship, but cohesion is lacking. That can not be blamed on the recent arrivals alone.

Individual and Collective Issues

Salah is not the sole established player to suffer a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to fitness and the defender laboring. But he finds himself at the center of the upheaval that has of late affected the club. This extends to a personal level, with Salah's grief over the passing of Diogo Jota clear on that emotional season opener against the Cherries. The effect of Jota's death can not be measured nor ignored.

Strategic Changes

Previously, he