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It's been a while, but the Egyptian star reappeared playing the lead part last week with two goals in Morocco that confirmed the Egyptian team's spot at the upcoming World Cup. The key player stepping on the spotlight once more. Liverpool must have him to keep that position.

Causes for Unsteady Performances

There exist many reasons why variable, unimpressive performances have been the frequent pattern running through the team's beginning to their championship defense, whether they recorded seven straight victories or, before the Red Devils' trip to Anfield on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The turmoil from multiple summer changes, Arne Slot's hunt for his best XI, Diogo Jota's tragic death; Salah has endured the consequences of them all during his atypically quiet start to the term.

The Weekend's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's big match could offer the impetus for the source of a record 16 goals in 17 games for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not won at their biggest foes for more than nine years. Salah will create the manager with another surprise issue, however, should he remain caught in the disruption indefinitely.

Latest Display

Liverpool's manager must have recognized the contrast of Salah's first goal against the opponent last Wednesday. Drilled first time with the outside of his left foot into the close post, his eighth goal of the national team's qualification run was from an nearly the same location to his expensive error in the Chelsea match before the international break.

Had that right-foot effort been converted shortly after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would still be praising the new signing's first superb assist in the Premier League. Analyses into Salah's decline and the team's infrequent losing run might also have been delayed. Rather, the midfielder's search continues while the coach stews over a third away defeat, two inflicted by late goals and one the result of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as Slot reiterated on Friday, but they cannot hide larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Influence

Salah was instrumental in propelling Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th championship the previous term while uncertainty over his career persisted in the backdrop. We achieved nearly the utmost out of Salah last term,” said the manager when his main attacker signed a fresh deal in April. We have seen a clear decrease on an individual and collective level from then. The lineup, not the terms of a contract, are to blame.

Performance Decline

The 33-year-old's output in terms of scores and assists is reduced 50% on the corresponding point the previous term, from a combined eight in the opening seven league games of 2024-25 to 4 (two goals and a couple of assists) the current campaign. The count of attempts has dropped from 22 to twelve while shots on target have declined from 15 to five, leading to a significant fall in shooting accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, statistics show.

A single trait that has held more steady is Salah's chance creation. With 12 opportunities made, against fourteen at the comparable period of last term, his stats stay among the top in the continent and comparable in the group of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and 13 years respectively.

Collective Performance

Measures of team output will worry Slot further. Salah had seventy-six touches in the enemy box in the first seven fixtures of the previous term. This season's count is 39. The numbers are reflective of the squad's issues as a whole. Just Manchester United and the Gunners have tried a greater number of shots on goal than them now, but Liverpool's percentage of attempts from within the six-yard area is the lowest in the division, their share from long range among the top. The club's percentage of shots on target – 28.4% – is as well among the weakest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we mostly scored from an individual brilliance from one of our front three and in the second half it was mostly from a set piece,” the manager said. “Currently we lack as numerous moments of genius and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the team that from live action creates the most expected goals opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't punishing opponents in the manner Slot planned when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were brought on board this summer, though Liverpool remain the division's equal third-top goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for him to attain the 100-point total in less games than any boss in the club's history (forty-six). Consider what his attack will do when it does settle. The side are still a team of exceptional skill, equipped to starting and reeling in any opponent for the title, but synergy is missing. That cannot be attributed on the new signings only.

Individual and Collective Challenges

The player is not the only key player to experience a decline, with the midfielder regaining to form and the defender laboring. But he is at the heart of the disruption that has of late affected Liverpool. That goes to a individual level, with his grief over the death of Diogo Jota evident on that emotional opening night against the Cherries. The influence of Jota's loss can not be assessed nor overlooked.

Strategic Adjustments

Last season, he