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It's been some time, but the Egyptian star was back assuming the main part in recent days with a brace in Casablanca that confirmed Egypt's spot at the upcoming World Cup. The star stepping on the limelight another time. Liverpool require him to keep that position.

Causes for Variable Showings

We see many factors why unsteady, unconvincing performances have been the recurring theme characterizing Liverpool's start to their title defence, if they achieved a winning streak or, before the Red Devils' arrival to Anfield on Sunday, three losses in a row. The disruption from so many offseason moves, the coach's hunt for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's passing; the winger has experienced the consequences of them all during his unusually quiet opening to the term.

Sunday's Key Fixture

The weekend's key fixture could provide the spark for the origin of a record 16 scores in 17 appearances for the club against Manchester United, who are making their 100th visit to the stadium and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for more than nine years. Salah will pose the manager with a further surprise issue, however, should he remain caught in the disruption much longer.

Latest Display

The team's boss likely noticed the contrast of the player's first goal against Djibouti in midweek. Struck first time with the outside of his left foot into the close post, Salah's eighth strike of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an very similar position to his costly miss versus Chelsea prior to the international break.

Had that right-foot effort been scored shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would even now be eulogising Florian Wirtz's maiden superb setup in the English top flight. Discussions into Salah's drop and Liverpool's unusual defeat streak might also have been delayed. Instead, Wirtz's wait persists while the coach broods over a third consecutive away defeat, two due to late goals and another the outcome of a debatable penalty. Narrow differences, as Slot emphasized on Friday, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Last Season's Impact

The forward was key in propelling Liverpool towards a tying 20th crown last season while speculation over his future lingered in the background. “We brought almost the maximum out of Mo that campaign,” said the manager when his main attacker signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a noticeable decline on an individual and team level since. The squad, not the terms of a deal, are responsible.

Statistical Decline

His contribution in terms of scores and setups is down 50% on the same stage the prior campaign, from a combined 8 in the first seven league games of last season to 4 (two goals and a couple of assists) the current campaign. The count of attempts has dropped from twenty-two to twelve while shots on target have fallen from 15 to 5, contributing to a sharp drop in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.

A single trait that has remained consistent is Salah's playmaking. With 12 key passes, against 14 at the same stage of last campaign, his stats are among the best in Europe and up in the company of young talents and rising stars, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years respectively.

Team Display

Measures of team display will trouble Slot more. Salah had seventy-six touches in the enemy box in the opening seven matches of last season. The current campaign's total is thirty-nine. These figures are indicative of the squad's problems in general. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have tried more attempts on goal than Liverpool in the current term, but Liverpool's percentage of attempts from inside the six-yard area is the poorest in the division, their share from distance among the highest. The club's proportion of shots on target – 28.4% – is as well among the lowest in the competition.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mostly scored from a moment of magic from a forward and in the second half it was mostly from a set piece,” Slot said. “This season we lack as numerous moments of genius and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are still the side that from live action generates the most xG chances.”

Recent Additions

They aren't punishing opponents in the way the coach envisaged when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired recently, while Liverpool remain the division's third-best goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for Slot to achieve the century of points in less games than any manager in the club's history (46). Think what his attack will do when it clicks. The side remain a squad of outstanding individual quality, capable of igniting and catching any opponent for the title, but cohesion is absent. That cannot be attributed on the summer recruits alone.

Individual and Collective Problems

Salah is not the only established member to experience a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister regaining to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he is at the heart of the upheaval that has recently enveloped Liverpool. This extends to a individual level, with his sadness over the passing of Jota evident on that heartfelt opening night against the Cherries. The influence of Jota's death can not be measured nor overlooked.

Strategic Adjustments

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