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It has been some time, but Liverpool's forward returned assuming the starring role last week with two goals in Casablanca that confirmed the Egyptian team's place at the 2026 World Cup. The key player stepping on center stage yet again. The Merseyside club need him to keep that position.

Factors for Inconsistent Performances

There exist several factors why inconsistent, lackluster displays have been the common thread characterizing the team's beginning to their championship defense, if they achieved seven straight victories or, prior to the Red Devils' trip to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, three losses in a row. The turmoil from numerous new signings, the coach's hunt for his top team, Diogo Jota's tragic death; the winger has endured the effect of them all during his atypically quiet beginning to the season.

Sunday's Key Fixture

The weekend's showpiece occasion could offer the catalyst for the cause of a impressive 16 goals in 17 outings for the club against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th visit to Anfield and have not succeeded at their biggest foes for almost a decade. Salah will pose Slot with a further unforeseen dilemma, however, should he stay lost in the disruption indefinitely.

Current Form

The team's manager likely noticed the contrast of the player's first goal against Djibouti in midweek. Drilled directly with the exterior of his stronger foot into the near post, Salah's eighth goal of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign was from an almost identical spot to his expensive error against Chelsea prior to the international break.

If that shot with his right been converted shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would even now be celebrating Florian Wirtz's maiden excellent assist in the English top flight. Discussions into his dip and Liverpool's infrequent losing run might as well have been postponed. Rather, Wirtz's wait continues while the coach stews over a third consecutive away defeat, two caused by late goals and another the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Narrow differences, as he reiterated on Friday, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Last Season's Influence

Salah was crucial in pushing Liverpool towards a tying 20th crown last season while speculation over his future persisted in the background. “We brought nearly the best out of Salah that campaign,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a noticeable drop-off on an personal and team level since. The lineup, not the details of a contract, are responsible.

Performance Drop

His contribution in terms of scores and setups is down 50% on the same point the previous term, from a total 8 in the first seven fixtures of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) the current campaign. His tally of attempts has decreased from 22 to 12 while shots on target have fallen from 15 to five, leading to a steep decline in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, statistics show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is Salah's creativity. With 12 opportunities made, compared with fourteen at the equivalent point of the previous season, his numbers are among the best in Europe and comparable in the company of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years each.

Team Output

Metrics of collective display will concern the coach more. Salah had seventy-six touches in the opposition box in the opening seven matches of the prior campaign. The current campaign's total is 39. The stats are symptomatic of the team's difficulties in general. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have attempted more attempts on goal than Liverpool this season, but the team's rate of shots from within the six-yard area is the poorest in the division, their ratio from distance among the top. Liverpool's percentage of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is also among the weakest in the league.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mainly found the net from a moment of magic from an attacker and in the second half it was mostly from a set piece,” the manager said. “Now we have not seen as numerous acts of brilliance and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are still the side that from live action creates the highest quality opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not hurting rivals in the way the coach planned when Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were acquired in the offseason, although Liverpool remain the league's third-best scorers. A tie on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to achieve the 100-point total in less games than any manager in Liverpool's history (46). Think what his offense will do when it does settle. Liverpool remain a squad of exceptional individual quality, able to igniting and catching any rival for the championship, but unity is lacking. This can not be pinned on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Team Issues

Salah is not the only established player to suffer a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he ends up at the center of the upheaval that has of late affected the club. This extends to a individual level, with Salah's sadness over the passing of Diogo Jota clear on that poignant season opener against the Cherries. The influence of Jota's loss can not be quantified nor dismissed.

Strategic Changes

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