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It has been some time, but the Egyptian star reappeared assuming the starring role last week with a double in Casablanca that confirmed Egypt's place at the 2026 World Cup. The key player claiming the limelight once more. The Merseyside club require him to stay there.

Factors for Variable Showings

We see many factors why variable, unconvincing displays have been the frequent pattern running through Liverpool's opening to their title defence, whether they produced seven wins in a row or, before Manchester United's visit to Anfield on Sunday, a losing run. The turmoil from multiple offseason moves, Arne Slot's quest for his top team, the late forward's loss; the winger has endured the consequences of them all during his unusually low-key start to the campaign.

The Weekend's Key Fixture

Sunday's showpiece occasion could offer the catalyst for the source of a record 16 strikes in 17 games for the club against Manchester United, who are making their centenary trip to the stadium and have not won at their fierce rivals for over nine years. Salah will create Slot with a further unexpected problem, though, should he remain caught in the upheaval much longer.

Latest Form

The team's head coach must have noticed the contrast of Salah's initial score against the opponent in midweek. Swept first time with the outside of his left foot into the front post, his eighth strike of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an nearly the same location to his costly miss in the Chelsea match before the international break.

Had that right-foot effort been scored moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would even now be eulogising the new signing's first superb pass in the league. Analyses into his decline and Liverpool's infrequent losing streak might also have been avoided. Instead, Wirtz's search persists while the coach broods over a third consecutive defeat away, two due to last-minute winners and another the outcome of a disputed penalty. Fine lines, as he reiterated on Friday, but they cannot hide underlying concerns.

Last Season's Influence

The forward was key in pushing Liverpool towards a tying 20th championship the prior campaign while uncertainty over his long-term plans persisted in the background. “We brought nearly the utmost out of Mo this season,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. There has been a clear drop-off on an individual and collective level since. The lineup, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Statistical Drop

The 33-year-old's output in terms of goals and setups is reduced half on the same point the previous term, from a combined eight in the opening seven league games of last season to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this term. The count of shots has fallen from twenty-two to 12 while efforts on goal have declined from fifteen to 5, causing a steep fall in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, figures show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is his creativity. With twelve opportunities made, versus fourteen at the equivalent point of last campaign, his stats remain among the best in Europe and comparable in the ranks of young talents and rising stars, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Output

Metrics of team display will trouble the coach additionally. He had 76 touches in the enemy penalty area in the initial seven matches of the prior campaign. This season's total is 39. The numbers are symptomatic of the squad's problems overall. Only Manchester United and the Gunners have taken more attempts on goal than Liverpool this season, but Liverpool's rate of attempts from inside the goal area is the lowest in the top flight, their percentage from distance among the top. Liverpool's percentage of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – is also among the weakest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we mainly found the net from a moment of magic from a forward and in the later stage it was more from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Currently we haven’t had as many moments of genius and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the team that from live action creates the highest expected goals opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They aren't hurting opponents in the fashion the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were brought on board this summer, while the team remain the division's joint third-highest scorers. A tie on the weekend would be sufficient for him to achieve the 100-point total in less games than any boss in Liverpool's history (46). Consider what his attack will do when it finally gels. Liverpool are still a team of outstanding skill, able to igniting and chasing any rival for the title, but synergy is missing. This cannot be pinned on the recent arrivals only.

Personal and Team Problems

Salah is not the only senior member to suffer a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister returning to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he is at the heart of the upheaval that has recently engulfed the club. This extends to a individual level, with his sorrow over the death of Diogo Jota obvious on that emotional first game against the Cherries. The influence of Jota's tragedy can not be assessed nor ignored.

Tactical Adjustments

Last season, he