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It has been some time, but Mohamed Salah reappeared taking on the lead part last week with a double in Morocco that sealed Egypt's spot at the 2026 World Cup. The star stepping on the limelight once more. Liverpool require him to remain there.

Causes for Variable Showings

There exist several reasons why unsteady, lackluster displays have been the recurring theme characterizing the team's beginning to their championship defense, whether they achieved seven straight victories or, before Manchester United's visit to Anfield on Sunday, three losses in a row. The turmoil from numerous offseason moves, Arne Slot's search for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's passing; the winger has endured the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key opening to the term.

The Weekend's Big Match

Sunday's showpiece occasion could offer the impetus for the source of a record 16 goals in 17 appearances for the club against Manchester United, who are making their 100th appearance to the stadium and have not succeeded at their biggest foes for almost a decade. Salah will create the manager with a further unforeseen dilemma, though, should he continue lost in the upheaval much longer.

Latest Performance

The team's head coach likely recognized the paradox of Salah's first goal against Djibouti last Wednesday. Struck first time with the outside of his stronger foot into the front post, Salah's eighth strike of Egypt's qualification run was from an almost identical position to his costly miss in the Chelsea match prior to the break for internationals.

Had that shot with his right been finished moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first excellent assist in the English top flight. Discussions into Salah's drop and Liverpool's infrequent losing streak might also have been postponed. Rather, the midfielder's wait goes on while Slot stews over a third away defeat, two inflicted by late goals and another the result of a controversial spot-kick. Small margins, as he reiterated on Friday, but they do not camouflage underlying concerns.

Last Season's Contribution

Salah was crucial in propelling the side towards a historic 20th crown the prior campaign while uncertainty over his future rumbled in the background. “We brought nearly the maximum out of Mo last term,” said Slot when his main attacker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. We have seen a obvious decrease on an individual and team level since. The team, not the terms of a deal, are responsible.

Performance Decline

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of scores and assists is down half on the corresponding point the previous term, from a combined 8 in the opening seven league games of 2024-25 to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this season. His tally of shots has decreased from 22 to 12 while shots on target have dropped from 15 to 5, leading to a significant drop in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, figures show.

One attribute that has stayed stable is his chance creation. With 12 chances created, against fourteen at the comparable period of last campaign, his figures remain among the top in the continent and comparable in the company of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by fifteen and thirteen years respectively.

Team Performance

Indicators of collective performance will worry Slot further. He had 76 contacts in the enemy box in the first seven league games of last season. This term's count is 39. These figures are indicative of the squad's problems in general. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have attempted more shots on goal than them in the current term, but the team's percentage of shots from inside the six-yard box is the poorest in the top flight, their percentage from outside the area among the greatest. Liverpool's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4% – is also among the lowest in the competition.

During the initial phase of last season we mostly scored from a moment of magic from one of our front three and in the second half it was more from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “Now we lack as many acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the side that from general play produces the highest quality opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They aren't beating foes in the fashion Slot envisaged when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were acquired this summer, though the team remain the league's third-best goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for him to attain the 100-point mark in less games than any boss in Liverpool's history (forty-six). Imagine what his attack will do when it clicks. The side remain a squad of supreme talent, equipped to starting and reeling in any rival for the championship, but synergy is absent. That can not be pinned on the summer recruits alone.

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 the defender struggling. But he is at the core of the upheaval that has recently enveloped the club. This extends to a personal level, with Salah's sorrow over the passing of Jota clear on that emotional first game against Bournemouth. The impact of Jota's tragedy can neither be assessed nor overlooked.

Tactical Shifts

Previously, he