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It's been a while, but the Egyptian star returned playing the starring role last week with a brace in Morocco that confirmed the Egyptian team's place at the global tournament. The main man taking the limelight another time. The Reds need him to stay there.

Causes for Variable Performances

We see several causes why unsteady, lackluster showings have been the frequent pattern defining the team's start to their title defence, whether they produced a winning streak or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Anfield on the weekend, three losses in a row. The upheaval from numerous offseason moves, Arne Slot's search for his best XI, Diogo Jota's passing; Salah has experienced the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically subdued opening to the season.

The Weekend's Key Fixture

Sunday's big match could provide the spark for the origin of a impressive 16 scores in 17 appearances for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are paying their centenary trip to Anfield and have not succeeded at their fierce rivals for over nine years. The attacker will pose Slot with another unexpected problem, though, should he remain caught in the upheaval for an extended period.

Recent Performance

Liverpool's boss likely seen the contrast of the player's first goal against the opponent in midweek. Struck first time with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the close post, his eighth score of Egypt's qualifying effort originated from an nearly the same position to his expensive error in the Chelsea match before the international break.

Had that shot with his right been converted moments after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would even now be praising Florian Wirtz's first superb pass in the Premier League. Analyses into his dip and Liverpool's rare losing run might as well have been delayed. Instead, the midfielder's search continues while the coach broods over a third defeat away, a couple caused by last-minute winners and one the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as he emphasized on Friday, but they do not mask larger problems.

Last Season's Impact

Salah was instrumental in pushing the side towards a historic 20th championship last season while speculation over his long-term plans persisted in the backdrop. “We brought almost the maximum out of Mo that campaign,” said Slot when his top scorer signed an extension in April. There has been a noticeable drop-off on an personal and team level from then. The team, not the details of a deal, are accountable.

Statistical Decrease

His output in terms of scores and setups is down 50% on the corresponding point the prior campaign, from a combined eight in the first seven league games of 2024-25 to 4 (two goals and two assists) the current campaign. His number of shots has dropped from 22 to 12 while efforts on goal have fallen from 15 to five, contributing to a sharp decline in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, figures show.

A particular skill that has held more steady is his playmaking. With twelve opportunities made, versus fourteen at the same stage of last term, his stats are among the top in the continent and comparable in the ranks of young talents and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by fifteen and thirteen years each.

Collective Display

Measures of collective display will worry Slot additionally. He had seventy-six touches in the enemy penalty area in the opening seven fixtures of last season. The current campaign's total is 39. These figures are indicative of the team's difficulties in general. Just Manchester United and the Gunners have tried a greater number of shots on goal than them this season, but Liverpool's percentage of attempts from inside the six-yard area is the poorest in the Premier League, their share from outside the area among the highest. The club's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is also among the poorest in the competition.

During the initial phase of last season we mostly scored from an individual brilliance from a forward and in the later stage it was mostly from a set piece,” the manager said. “Currently we lack as many sparks of quality and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are still the team that from general play produces the most expected goals opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not punishing foes in the fashion Slot imagined when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were brought on board in the offseason, while the team are the league's third-best scorers. A tie on the weekend would be enough for him to attain the 100-point total in less games than any coach in the club's history (forty-six). Consider what his attack will do when it clicks. Liverpool remain a team of outstanding talent, equipped to sparking and reeling in any rival for the championship, but unity is missing. This cannot be blamed on the recent arrivals by themselves.

Individual and Team Issues

Salah is not the only key player to experience a dip, with the midfielder working his way back to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he ends up at the center of the upheaval that has recently enveloped the club. That extends to a individual level, with Salah's grief over the passing of Diogo Jota obvious on that poignant first game against Bournemouth. The impact of his tragedy can neither be measured nor ignored.

Strategic Adjustments

Last season, he