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It has been a while, but Mohamed Salah returned taking on the main part recently with a brace in Morocco that confirmed the Egyptian team's place at the 2026 World Cup. The star taking center stage once more. Liverpool must have him to remain there.

Reasons for Inconsistent Displays

There exist many factors why variable, unimpressive showings have been the recurring theme running through the team's beginning to their league defense, if they recorded a winning streak or, before the Red Devils' arrival to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The upheaval from numerous new signings, the coach's hunt for his best XI, the late forward's passing; Salah has felt the effect of them all during his atypically low-key start to the campaign.

Sunday's Big Match

Sunday's key fixture could deliver the spark for the cause of a record 16 goals in 17 games for the club against Manchester United, who are making their centenary trip to the stadium and have not triumphed at their fierce rivals for over nine years. Salah will present Slot with another unexpected problem, yet, if he stay caught in the disruption for an extended period.

Current Form

The team's head coach likely recognized the paradox of Salah's first goal against Djibouti recently. Struck immediately with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the close post, Salah's eighth goal of the national team's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an nearly the same spot to his big mistake against Chelsea prior to the international break.

Had that shot with his right been finished moments after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first excellent pass in the league. Analyses into his decline and the team's rare losing streak might as well have been delayed. Rather, the midfielder's search continues while Slot fumes over a third loss on the road, two inflicted by last-minute winners and another the result of a disputed penalty. Small margins, as Slot reiterated on recently, but they do not camouflage underlying concerns.

Last Season's Influence

The forward was crucial in propelling Liverpool towards a tying 20th crown last season while doubt over his career persisted in the background. We achieved almost the best out of Mo this season,” said Slot when his leading striker signed an extension in the spring. We have seen a noticeable decline on an personal and team level since. The team, not the terms of a contract, are to blame.

Performance Drop

The 33-year-old's production in terms of goals and assists is reduced 50% on the corresponding stage the prior campaign, from a total 8 in the opening seven matches of 2024-25 to 4 (two goals and a couple of assists) this term. His tally of shots has decreased from 22 to 12 while shots on target have dropped from 15 to five, leading to a sharp decline in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, data show.

One attribute that has remained consistent is Salah's playmaking. With twelve opportunities made, versus 14 at the same stage of last term, his stats are among the best in the continent and comparable in the ranks of young talents and rising stars, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years each.

Collective Display

Metrics of team display will worry Slot further. Salah had 76 contacts in the enemy box in the first seven league games of last season. The current campaign's count is thirty-nine. The stats are symptomatic of the squad's issues in general. Only United and the Gunners have tried a greater number of attempts on goal than Liverpool this season, but Liverpool's proportion of shots from inside the six-yard box is the lowest in the division, their percentage from outside the area among the highest. The club's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – is as well among the lowest in the competition.

During the initial phase of last season we mainly scored from a moment of magic from an attacker and in the later stage it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Currently we lack as many sparks of quality and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are still the side that from open play creates the most quality opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not punishing foes in the fashion the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were acquired recently, while the team are the league's third-best goalscorers. A tie on Sunday would be enough for him to attain the 100-point total in less games than any boss in Liverpool's history (46). Consider what his attack will do when it does settle. Liverpool are still a squad of exceptional skill, capable of sparking and catching any foe for the title, but unity is missing. This cannot be attributed on the new signings by themselves.

Personal and Collective Challenges

Salah is not the only key member to suffer a decline, with the midfielder returning to match sharpness and the defender struggling. But he ends up at the heart of the upheaval that has recently affected Liverpool. This applies to a individual level, with his sadness over the loss of Diogo Jota clear on that emotional opening night against the Cherries. The impact of Jota's loss can not be quantified nor ignored.

Tactical Adjustments

Last season, he