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It's been a period, but the Egyptian star reappeared assuming the starring role recently with a brace in Casablanca that sealed Egypt's place at the 2026 World Cup. The key player stepping on the limelight yet again. The Reds need him to stay there.

Reasons for Inconsistent Showings

We see many reasons why variable, unimpressive showings have been the recurring theme running through Liverpool's beginning to their league defense, if they produced seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's visit to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three losses in a row. The turmoil from so many new signings, Arne Slot's search for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's loss; the winger has experienced the impact of them all during his uncharacteristically subdued beginning to the term.

Sunday's Key Fixture

Sunday's big match could offer the catalyst for the origin of a record 16 goals in 17 appearances for the club against United, who are paying their centenary trip to the stadium and have not triumphed at their archrivals for almost a decade. The attacker will create Slot with an additional unforeseen dilemma, however, if he remain caught in the disruption for an extended period.

Recent Display

Liverpool's head coach must have noticed the irony of Salah's first goal against the opponent in midweek. Struck directly with the outside of his left foot inside the near post, his eighth goal of the national team's qualifying effort was from an almost identical spot to his big mistake against Chelsea before the international break.

Had that attempt been scored shortly after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first excellent setup in the Premier League. Discussions into his drop and the team's rare defeat streak might as well have been avoided. Rather, Wirtz's search goes on while the coach fumes over a third defeat away, two due to late goals and one the outcome of a debatable penalty. Narrow differences, as Slot repeated on recently, but they do not mask bigger issues.

Previous Campaign's Influence

Salah was key in driving Liverpool towards a tying 20th championship last season while uncertainty over his career lingered in the background. We achieved almost the best out of Mo last term,” said the manager when his top scorer signed an extension in April. There has been a noticeable decrease on an personal and collective level from then. The lineup, not the details of a deal, are to blame.

Statistical Drop

His production in terms of scores and assists is down half on the corresponding stage the prior campaign, from a total eight in the first seven league games of 2024-25 to four (a pair of goals and two assists) this term. His number of shots has decreased from 22 to twelve while efforts on goal have declined from fifteen to 5, contributing to a significant drop in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, figures show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is Salah's playmaking. With twelve key passes, versus 14 at the comparable period of last campaign, his figures remain among the top in Europe and up in the group of young talents and rising stars, his juniors by fifteen and 13 years each.

Team Display

Measures of team display will trouble the coach additionally. He had 76 contacts in the opposition box in the opening seven matches of the previous term. This term's count is thirty-nine. These figures are indicative of the team's issues in general. Only United and the Gunners have attempted more shots on goal than Liverpool now, but Liverpool's rate of attempts from inside the six-yard box is the smallest in the top flight, their share from distance among the top. Liverpool's proportion of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is also among the weakest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we mainly found the net from an individual brilliance from an attacker and in the second half it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “Currently we have not seen as numerous moments of genius and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the side that from general play generates the highest xG chances.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not hurting rivals in the way Slot envisaged when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were signed recently, while Liverpool are the league's third-best scorers. A tie on the weekend would be enough for Slot to attain the 100-point total in fewer games than any boss in the club's history (46). Think what his offense will do when it clicks. Liverpool remain a team of outstanding individual quality, capable of sparking and catching any foe for the championship, but synergy is lacking. This can not be pinned on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Team Issues

Salah is not the only senior member to suffer a decline, with the midfielder returning to form and the defender laboring. But he is at the heart of the disruption that has lately engulfed the club. This extends to a individual level, with Salah's grief over the loss of Jota clear on that poignant opening night against Bournemouth. The effect of his loss can neither be measured nor dismissed.

Tactical Adjustments

Previously, he