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It's been some time, but the Egyptian star returned playing the main part in recent days with two goals in Morocco that secured the Egyptian team's spot at the 2026 World Cup. The main man stepping on the spotlight once more. The Reds require him to stay there.

Factors for Unsteady Showings

There are several factors why inconsistent, lackluster performances have been the common thread defining Liverpool's opening to their championship defense, whether they recorded seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's visit to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The disruption from numerous new signings, the coach's hunt for his ideal lineup, the late forward's passing; the winger has experienced the consequences of them all during his atypically subdued opening to the campaign.

Sunday's Key Fixture

Sunday's big match could offer the impetus for the cause of a record 16 scores in 17 appearances for the club against United, who are making their centenary trip to the stadium and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for almost a decade. The attacker will pose the manager with a further unexpected problem, yet, should he stay caught in the turmoil much longer.

Recent Form

Liverpool's boss likely noticed the contrast of Salah's first goal against Djibouti recently. Swept directly with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the near post, Salah's eighth strike of the national team's qualifying effort came from an very similar position to his big mistake versus Chelsea before the national team pause.

If that right-foot effort been converted shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would even now be eulogising the new signing's maiden superb assist in the English top flight. Inquests into his decline and the team's infrequent losing run might as well have been avoided. Rather, Wirtz's search goes on while Slot stews over a third consecutive defeat away, a couple caused by last-minute winners and another the result of a controversial spot-kick. Small margins, as Slot repeated on recently, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Last Season's Contribution

The forward was key in driving the side towards a record-equalling 20th league title the previous term while speculation over his future rumbled in the background. “We brought nearly the utmost out of Mo this season,” said the manager when his main attacker signed a new two‑year contract in April. There has been a clear drop-off on an personal and collective level since. The lineup, not the details of a deal, are to blame.

Performance Drop

His contribution in terms of scores and setups is lower half on the same stage last season, from a total 8 in the opening seven fixtures of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) this term. His number of shots has dropped from twenty-two to twelve while shots on target have declined from 15 to 5, leading to a sharp fall in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, figures show.

A single trait that has held more steady is Salah's playmaking. With twelve opportunities made, against fourteen at the equivalent point of the previous season, his stats remain among the top in Europe and up in the company of young talents and rising stars, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years respectively.

Collective Output

Measures of collective performance will concern the coach more. Salah had seventy-six touches in the opposition box in the initial seven fixtures of last season. The current campaign's total is 39. The stats are reflective of the team's issues as a whole. Only Manchester United and Arsenal have attempted a greater number of shots on goal than them this season, but the team's proportion of attempts from inside the six-yard box is the lowest in the Premier League, their percentage from distance among the highest. Liverpool's percentage of shots on target – 28.4% – is as well among the weakest in the competition.

During the initial phase of last season we primarily found the net from an individual brilliance from a forward and in the second half it was more from a dead ball,” the manager said. “Currently we have not seen as many acts of brilliance and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the team that from live action produces the highest quality opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They aren't punishing foes in the manner Slot planned when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were acquired in the offseason, while Liverpool stay the division's equal third-top scorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for him to achieve the century of points in less games than any coach in the club's history (forty-six). Imagine what his offense will do when it does settle. Liverpool are still a team of exceptional individual quality, able to starting and catching any opponent for the championship, but unity is absent. That can not be pinned on the summer recruits only.

Individual and Collective Problems

Salah is not the sole established player to experience a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister returning to match sharpness and the defender toiling. But he finds himself at the center of the disruption that has lately affected Liverpool. That extends to a individual level, with Salah's grief over the death of Diogo Jota clear on that poignant opening night against the Cherries. The influence of his loss can not be assessed nor dismissed.

Strategic Changes

Previously, he