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It's been a while, but Liverpool's forward was back playing the starring role last week with two goals in Morocco that secured Egypt's position at the global tournament. The star claiming center stage yet again. Liverpool require him to stay there.

Factors for Unsteady Showings

There are numerous factors why variable, unimpressive performances have been the recurring theme characterizing Liverpool's beginning to their title defence, if they recorded seven straight victories or, before Manchester United's visit to Anfield on the weekend, a losing run. The disruption from multiple new signings, Arne Slot's hunt for his top team, Diogo Jota's tragic death; the winger has experienced the consequences of them all during his atypically quiet opening to the campaign.

The Weekend's Key Fixture

The weekend's big match could deliver the impetus for the cause of a record 16 strikes in 17 appearances for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are paying their centenary trip to the stadium and have not triumphed at their archrivals for more than nine years. The attacker will create Slot with another unexpected problem, however, if he remain lost in the turmoil for an extended period.

Latest Form

The team's boss must have seen the irony of the player's first goal against the opponent recently. Swept directly with the exterior of his stronger foot into the close post, his eighth goal of the national team's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an nearly the same position to his expensive error against Chelsea before the national team pause.

Had that right-foot effort been finished shortly after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would still be celebrating the new signing's maiden excellent setup in the league. Discussions into his dip and Liverpool's unusual defeat streak might as well have been delayed. Rather, Wirtz's search goes on while Slot fumes over a third consecutive away defeat, a couple caused by dying-minute strikes and another the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Narrow differences, as Slot repeated on Friday, but they do not mask larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Impact

The forward was crucial in driving Liverpool towards a historic 20th crown the previous term while uncertainty over his future lingered in the backdrop. “We brought almost the utmost out of Salah that campaign,” said the manager when his leading striker signed a new two‑year contract in April. We have seen a clear drop-off on an personal and team level since. The squad, not the details of a contract, are responsible.

Statistical Drop

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of scores and assists is lower 50% on the corresponding point the prior campaign, from a total eight in the first seven fixtures of 2024-25 to four (a pair of goals and two assists) this term. The count of attempts has dropped from twenty-two to 12 while shots on target have dropped from 15 to 5, contributing to a steep drop in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, figures show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is Salah's creativity. With 12 chances created, compared with fourteen at the same stage of the previous season, his stats stay among the best in the continent and up in the group of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his juniors by 15 and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Performance

Indicators of team display will concern Slot additionally. Salah had 76 contacts in the opposition box in the initial seven fixtures of last season. This season's total is 39. The numbers are reflective of the team's issues as a whole. Just United and the Gunners have attempted more attempts on goal than them this season, but Liverpool's percentage of attempts from within the six-yard box is the lowest in the division, their ratio from outside the area among the highest. The club's rate of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is also among the poorest in the competition.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mainly scored from a special moment from a forward and in the later stage it was mostly from a dead ball,” Slot said. “This season we haven’t had as numerous moments of genius and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the team that from open play produces the highest quality opportunities.”

New Signings

They are not punishing foes in the way the coach imagined when Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were brought on board in the offseason, while the team stay the division's joint third-highest goalscorers. A tie on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to attain the 100-point total in less games than any coach in Liverpool's history (forty-six). Think what his forward line will do when it finally gels. Liverpool remain a team of exceptional talent, capable of igniting and chasing any rival for the championship, but cohesion is lacking. That can not be pinned on the summer recruits alone.

Personal and Collective Challenges

Salah is not the only established member to suffer a decline, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to match sharpness and the defender struggling. But he is at the core of the turmoil that has of late affected the club. This extends to a individual level, with his sadness over the passing of Diogo Jota obvious on that emotional opening night against Bournemouth. The effect of his loss can neither be assessed nor ignored.

Tactical Adjustments

Last season, he