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It has been a while, but the Egyptian star was back assuming the starring role in recent days with a brace in Casablanca that secured the Egyptian team's spot at the 2026 World Cup. The main man stepping on center stage once more. Liverpool must have him to keep that position.

Causes for Inconsistent Performances

There exist many reasons why inconsistent, lackluster performances have been the common thread defining the team's start to their league defense, if they produced seven straight victories or, before the Red Devils' visit to Anfield on Sunday, a losing run. The turmoil from so many new signings, the coach's hunt for his ideal lineup, the late forward's loss; Salah has experienced the effect of them all during his uncharacteristically subdued beginning to the term.

The Weekend's Key Fixture

Sunday's key fixture could deliver the spark for the origin 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 more than nine years. The attacker will pose Slot with another surprise issue, though, should he continue caught in the turmoil for an extended period.

Current Form

Liverpool's boss likely seen the paradox of Salah's initial score against Djibouti recently. Struck first time with the outside of his left foot into the close post, his eighth score of Egypt's qualifying effort originated from an almost identical location to his big mistake in the Chelsea match before the international break.

If that shot with his right been scored shortly after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would even now be eulogising Florian Wirtz's first excellent assist in the league. Inquests into Salah's drop and the team's rare losing streak might also have been postponed. Instead, the midfielder's search goes on while the coach broods over a third consecutive defeat away, two due to dying-minute strikes and one the outcome of a debatable penalty. Small margins, as he repeated on recently, but they cannot hide larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Impact

The forward was instrumental in driving Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th league title last season while doubt over his future rumbled in the background. We achieved nearly the best out of Salah this season,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. There has been a obvious drop-off on an personal and team level since. The team, not the details of a deal, are to blame.

Statistical Decrease

His production in terms of goals and assists is lower 50% on the same stage the previous term, from a total eight in the initial seven matches of last season to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this season. The count of attempts has dropped from 22 to twelve while shots on target have declined from fifteen to five, contributing to a significant decline in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, statistics show.

One attribute that has stayed stable is Salah's chance creation. With 12 opportunities made, against 14 at the same stage of last campaign, his stats are among the best in Europe and up in the company of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his younger counterparts by 15 and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Output

Metrics of team performance will worry Slot more. Salah had 76 touches in the opposition penalty area in the initial seven matches of the previous term. This term's total is thirty-nine. The stats are reflective of the squad's problems as a whole. Just Manchester United and the Gunners have taken a greater number of attempts on goal than them this season, but Liverpool's percentage of shots from inside the goal area is the lowest in the top flight, their percentage from distance among the greatest. The club's rate of accurate shots – 28.4% – is as well among the poorest in the competition.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mainly scored from a moment of magic from a forward and in the second half it was mostly from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Currently we lack as many 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 highest xG chances.”

Summer Arrivals

They aren't beating foes in the fashion Slot planned when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were acquired in the offseason, although Liverpool remain the league's joint third-highest goalscorers. A tie on the weekend would be enough for him to achieve the 100-point mark in fewer games than any coach 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, capable of igniting and chasing any opponent for the title, but synergy is absent. This can not be blamed on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Team Problems

Salah is not the sole key member to suffer a dip, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to form and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he ends up at the heart of the turmoil that has lately affected Liverpool. That goes to a personal level, with his sadness over the passing of Diogo Jota evident on that poignant first game against Bournemouth. The impact of Jota's death can neither be measured nor ignored.

Tactical Adjustments

Previously, he