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It has been some time, but the Egyptian star returned playing the starring role in recent days with two goals in Casablanca that confirmed Egypt's spot at the 2026 World Cup. The key player taking the limelight another time. The Reds need him to remain there.

Factors for Variable Performances

We see several causes why inconsistent, unconvincing displays have been the common thread characterizing Liverpool's opening to their title defence, whether they produced seven wins in a row or, prior to the Red Devils' trip to Anfield on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The turmoil from multiple offseason moves, the coach's search for his best XI, Diogo Jota's loss; the winger has felt the impact of them all during his unusually quiet beginning to the campaign.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's key fixture could offer the catalyst for the source of a impressive 16 strikes in 17 outings for Liverpool against United, who are making their 100th visit to Anfield and have not triumphed at their fierce rivals for more than nine years. The attacker will create Slot with another unexpected problem, yet, should he stay caught in the upheaval indefinitely.

Current Display

Liverpool's boss likely noticed the irony of Salah's initial score against the opponent in midweek. Drilled first time with the outside of his stronger foot into the near post, his eighth score of Egypt's qualification run came from an very similar position to his big mistake in the Chelsea match before the international break.

If that shot with his right been scored moments after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating the new signing's maiden superb setup in the league. Analyses into his drop and Liverpool's rare losing streak might as well have been postponed. Instead, the midfielder's wait persists while the coach broods over a third consecutive loss on the road, a couple caused by late goals and one the outcome of a disputed penalty. Small margins, as Slot reiterated on recently, but they do not mask bigger issues.

Last Season's Contribution

The forward was crucial in pushing the side towards a tying 20th league title the prior campaign while uncertainty over his long-term plans rumbled in the background. We achieved nearly the maximum out of Salah this season,” said the manager when his leading striker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. There has been a clear decrease on an individual and collective level since. The squad, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Performance Drop

His contribution in terms of goals and assists is down 50% on the same point last season, from a combined 8 in the opening seven fixtures of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this term. The count of shots has dropped from twenty-two to 12 while efforts on goal have declined from 15 to five, contributing to a sharp fall in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, statistics show.

A particular skill that has held more steady is Salah's chance creation. With twelve opportunities made, against fourteen at the same stage of the previous season, his numbers remain among the best in the continent and comparable in the ranks of young talents and rising stars, his younger counterparts by fifteen and thirteen years each.

Collective Output

Measures of team display will trouble the coach further. Salah had 76 touches in the enemy box in the first seven fixtures of the prior campaign. This season's tally is thirty-nine. The numbers are reflective of the team's difficulties overall. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have tried more attempts on goal than Liverpool in the current term, but the team's proportion of shots from within the six-yard box is the poorest in the division, their percentage from distance among the highest. Liverpool's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is also among the poorest in the league.

“In the first half of last season we primarily found the net from a special moment from a forward and in the later stage it was more from a dead ball,” the manager said. “This season we have not seen as many moments of genius and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the side that from live action creates the highest quality opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't punishing foes in the manner the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were acquired in the offseason, although Liverpool stay the division's equal third-top scorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for him to achieve the 100-point total in fewer games than any manager in Liverpool's past (46). Think what his forward line will do when it finally gels. The side are still a team of outstanding talent, equipped to sparking and reeling in any opponent for the championship, but unity is absent. This can not be attributed on the summer recruits alone.

Individual and Team Issues

Salah is not the sole key member to experience a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to fitness and the defender laboring. But he finds himself at the heart of the disruption that has recently affected Liverpool. This goes to a individual level, with his sadness over the loss of Diogo Jota obvious on that poignant opening night against Bournemouth. The influence of his tragedy can not be measured nor overlooked.

Strategic Changes

Previously, he