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It has been a while, but Mohamed Salah was back taking on the lead part last week with a brace in Morocco that sealed Egypt's spot at the 2026 World Cup. The star taking center stage another time. The Reds must have him to keep that position.

Reasons for Variable Showings

There exist many causes why variable, unimpressive displays have been the recurring theme running through the team's opening to their league defense, if they recorded seven straight victories or, prior to the Red Devils' arrival to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The disruption from so many summer changes, the coach's quest for his best XI, the late forward's loss; the winger has felt the impact of them all during his unusually low-key start to the campaign.

The Weekend's Big Match

Sunday's showpiece occasion could offer the catalyst for the cause of a record 16 goals in 17 appearances for the club against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not won at their archrivals for almost a decade. Salah will present the manager with an additional surprise issue, however, if he remain caught in the disruption for an extended period.

Latest Form

The team's manager likely recognized the irony of the player's initial score against Djibouti recently. Swept first time with the exterior of his left foot inside the near post, Salah's eighth goal of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an nearly the same position to his expensive error in the Chelsea match before the national team pause.

Had that shot with his right been scored moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would even now be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first sublime pass in the Premier League. Discussions into Salah's dip and the team's unusual losing streak might also have been delayed. Instead, the midfielder's wait continues while the coach broods over a third consecutive away defeat, two inflicted by last-minute winners and another the result of a disputed penalty. Narrow differences, as Slot repeated on recently, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

The forward was instrumental in pushing Liverpool towards a historic 20th league title the prior campaign while doubt over his future lingered in the backdrop. “We brought almost the maximum out of Salah last term,” said the manager when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in the spring. There has been a clear decline on an personal and collective level from then. The team, not the details of a deal, are accountable.

Statistical Decline

The 33-year-old's output in terms of scores and setups is down half on the corresponding point the previous term, from a total eight in the initial seven matches of 2024-25 to four (two goals and a couple of assists) the current campaign. His tally of attempts has dropped from 22 to 12 while accurate shots have fallen from 15 to five, causing a significant fall in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, figures show.

A particular skill that has stayed stable is his playmaking. With twelve key passes, versus 14 at the same stage of last campaign, his numbers stay among the best in Europe and up in the company of young talents and rising stars, his younger counterparts by fifteen and thirteen years each.

Collective Display

Indicators of collective display will trouble Slot additionally. He had seventy-six contacts in the enemy box in the initial seven matches of last season. This season's total is 39. These figures are reflective of the team's issues as a whole. Only United and the Gunners have attempted a greater number of shots on goal than them in the current term, but the team's percentage of attempts from within the goal area is the lowest in the top flight, their ratio from distance among the greatest. Liverpool's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is as well among the lowest in the league.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mostly found the net from an individual brilliance from a forward and in the second half it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “This season we have not seen as numerous moments of genius and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the side that from general play produces the most expected goals opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They are not punishing rivals in the manner the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were brought on board recently, while the team are the division's equal third-top goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for him to achieve the century of points in less games than any manager in Liverpool's history (46). Think what his attack will do when it does settle. Liverpool remain a team of outstanding talent, capable of igniting and reeling in any rival for the title, but synergy is lacking. That can not be blamed on the new signings only.

Personal and Collective Challenges

Salah is not the sole senior player to suffer a decline, with the midfielder regaining to form and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he finds himself at the heart of the turmoil that has recently engulfed the club. That applies to a individual level, with Salah's sadness over the loss of Diogo Jota evident on that emotional first game against the Cherries. The effect of his loss can neither be assessed nor overlooked.

Strategic Shifts

In the prior campaign, he