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It has been some time, but the Egyptian star reappeared playing the starring role in recent days with a brace in Morocco that confirmed Egypt's position at the 2026 World Cup. The key player stepping on the spotlight another time. The Merseyside club must have him to remain there.

Reasons for Inconsistent Showings

There exist numerous causes why inconsistent, lackluster performances have been the common thread defining the team's start to their league defense, whether they recorded seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Anfield on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The turmoil from so many summer changes, Arne Slot's quest for his ideal lineup, the late forward's passing; Salah has felt the impact of them all during his uncharacteristically subdued start to the season.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

The weekend's key fixture could offer the spark for the source of a record 16 goals in 17 appearances for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are making their 100th appearance to the stadium and have not won at their biggest foes for almost a decade. Salah will create the manager with another surprise issue, though, should he remain lost in the disruption for an extended period.

Recent Form

Liverpool's boss likely noticed the contrast of Salah's opening strike against Djibouti recently. Swept first time with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the front post, his eighth strike of the national team's qualifying effort originated from an nearly the same location to his big mistake versus Chelsea prior to the international break.

If that shot with his right been scored shortly after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would still be praising the new signing's maiden excellent pass in the English top flight. Discussions into his dip and Liverpool's rare losing streak might also have been delayed. Rather, the midfielder's search persists while Slot broods over a third defeat away, a couple caused by late goals and another the result of a disputed penalty. Narrow differences, as he emphasized on recently, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Last Season's Influence

Salah was key in driving Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th championship last season while uncertainty over his career lingered in the background. “We brought nearly the utmost out of Salah last term,” said the manager when his main attacker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. We have seen a clear decline on an individual and team level since. The lineup, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Performance Drop

The 33-year-old's production in terms of goals and setups is down 50% on the same point last season, from a combined eight in the first seven league games of 2024-25 to 4 (two goals and a couple of assists) the current campaign. His tally of attempts has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while efforts on goal have declined from 15 to five, causing a steep fall in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, data show.

A single trait that has stayed stable is his creativity. With 12 opportunities made, compared with 14 at the comparable period of last term, his stats stay among the finest in the continent and up in the ranks of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by fifteen and 13 years respectively.

Collective Display

Measures of team performance will trouble the coach additionally. Salah had seventy-six contacts in the enemy box in the first seven fixtures of last season. This season's total is 39. The numbers are symptomatic of the team's difficulties as a whole. Just United and the Gunners have tried a greater number of shots on goal than them this season, but Liverpool's proportion of attempts from inside the six-yard area is the poorest in the Premier League, their percentage from long range among the top. Liverpool's percentage of shots on target – 28.4% – is as well among the poorest in the league.

During the initial phase of the previous campaign we mostly scored from a special moment from one of our front three and in the second half it was mostly from a dead ball,” the manager said. “This season we have not seen as many acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from general play generates the highest quality opportunities.”

New Signings

They are not hurting opponents in the way the coach imagined when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were signed recently, while Liverpool remain the league's joint third-highest goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to reach the century of points in less games than any boss in Liverpool's history (46). Imagine what his offense will do when it does settle. The side are still a squad of outstanding skill, capable of sparking and chasing any opponent for the championship, but unity is missing. That can not be pinned on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Collective Problems

Salah is not the sole senior member to experience a decline, with the midfielder working his way back to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté laboring. But he finds himself at the center of the upheaval that has recently enveloped Liverpool. That goes to a individual level, with his sorrow over the passing of Diogo Jota clear on that poignant season opener against Bournemouth. The impact of his loss can neither be quantified nor dismissed.

Tactical Changes

In the prior campaign, he