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It has been a while, but Mohamed Salah returned playing the starring role in recent days with a brace in Casablanca that sealed Egypt's position at the 2026 World Cup. The main man taking the spotlight yet again. The Reds require him to keep that position.

Reasons for Variable Displays

There are several factors why variable, unimpressive showings have been the frequent pattern characterizing the team's start to their league defense, whether they produced a winning streak or, before the Red Devils' visit to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The upheaval from multiple new signings, the coach's search for his best XI, the late forward's loss; Salah has experienced the impact of them all during his atypically quiet beginning to the term.

Sunday's Big Match

The weekend's showpiece occasion could provide the impetus for the cause of a record 16 strikes in 17 appearances for Liverpool against United, who are paying their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not won at their fierce rivals for almost a decade. The attacker will pose Slot with a further unexpected problem, however, should he continue lost in the upheaval for an extended period.

Latest Display

Liverpool's head coach likely noticed the irony of Salah's first goal against Djibouti recently. Struck immediately with the outside of his stronger foot inside the front post, his eighth strike of the national team's qualification run originated from an nearly the same position to his expensive error against Chelsea prior to the international break.

If that shot with his right been finished shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's maiden excellent setup in the Premier League. Discussions into Salah's decline and Liverpool's unusual losing run might also have been delayed. Instead, the midfielder's search goes on while Slot broods over a third defeat away, two caused by late goals and another the result of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as he reiterated on Friday, but they do not mask bigger issues.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

Salah was crucial in pushing the side towards a tying 20th league title the previous term while doubt over his long-term plans persisted in the backdrop. We extracted nearly the utmost out of Salah this season,” said the manager when his main attacker signed an extension in April. There has been a obvious drop-off on an individual and collective level since. The lineup, not the details of a contract, are responsible.

Performance Drop

His production in terms of scores and assists is reduced 50% on the same point last season, from a total 8 in the opening seven fixtures of 2024-25 to 4 (two goals and two assists) the current campaign. His tally of attempts has dropped from 22 to twelve while efforts on goal have declined from 15 to five, contributing to a significant decline in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.

One attribute that has stayed stable is his chance creation. With 12 opportunities made, versus fourteen at the equivalent point of the previous season, his numbers remain among the top in Europe and comparable in the company of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years respectively.

Collective Display

Metrics of team display will worry the coach more. He had 76 contacts in the opposition penalty area in the opening seven matches of the previous term. This season's total is thirty-nine. These figures are reflective of the team's problems in general. Just United and the Gunners have attempted more attempts on goal than Liverpool in the current term, but the team's proportion of attempts from inside the six-yard box is the smallest in the top flight, their share from outside the area among the greatest. Liverpool's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4% – is as well among the poorest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we primarily found the net from a special moment from one of our front three and in the later stage it was mostly from a dead ball,” the manager said. “This season we lack as many moments of genius and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the side that from open play creates the most expected goals opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't punishing foes in the manner the coach imagined when Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were brought on board recently, while the team remain the division's equal third-top scorers. A tie on the weekend would be sufficient for Slot to attain the 100-point mark in less games than any boss in Liverpool's history (forty-six). Consider what his offense will do when it finally gels. The side remain a team of supreme individual quality, equipped to sparking and chasing any rival for the title, but cohesion is lacking. This can not be attributed on the recent arrivals by themselves.

Individual and Collective Challenges

Salah is not the sole key member to suffer a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to fitness and the defender struggling. But he ends up at the center of the disruption that has recently affected the club. That extends to a personal level, with Salah's grief over the passing of Diogo Jota evident on that poignant first game against the Cherries. The impact of his tragedy can not be assessed nor dismissed.

Tactical Shifts

Previously, he