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It's been a period, but Mohamed Salah reappeared assuming the lead part recently with a brace in Casablanca that sealed Egypt's spot at the 2026 World Cup. The star stepping on the limelight yet again. The Reds need him to stay there.

Factors for Variable Showings

We see many reasons why unsteady, unconvincing displays have been the recurring theme defining Liverpool's beginning to their league defense, whether they recorded seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Anfield on the weekend, three losses in a row. The turmoil from multiple new signings, the coach's quest for his ideal lineup, the late forward's tragic death; the winger has endured the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically quiet beginning to the term.

Sunday's Key Fixture

Sunday's showpiece occasion could provide the impetus for the origin of a record 16 goals in 17 games for the club against Manchester United, who are making their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not triumphed at their fierce rivals for over nine years. The attacker will present Slot with another unforeseen dilemma, yet, if he continue lost in the turmoil much longer.

Latest Form

The team's boss likely noticed the paradox of Salah's first goal against Djibouti recently. Struck immediately with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the front post, Salah's eighth goal of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an almost identical spot to his expensive error versus Chelsea before the international break.

Had that right-foot effort been scored moments after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would still be praising the new signing's first superb setup in the Premier League. Analyses into Salah's decline and the team's rare losing run might also have been delayed. Rather, Wirtz's wait continues while the coach broods over a third loss on the road, a couple caused by last-minute winners and one the outcome of a disputed penalty. Fine lines, as Slot repeated on Friday, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

The forward was instrumental in propelling the side towards a historic 20th championship the prior campaign while uncertainty over his career persisted in the backdrop. “We brought nearly the best out of Mo this season,” said Slot when his top scorer signed an extension in April. There has been a clear drop-off on an personal and team level from then. The squad, not the terms of a deal, are to blame.

Statistical Decrease

His output in terms of scores and assists is down half on the same point the previous term, from a total 8 in the first seven league games of 2024-25 to four (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this term. His number of shots has decreased from 22 to 12 while efforts on goal have dropped from 15 to 5, contributing to a steep drop in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, statistics show.

A particular skill that has stayed stable is his chance creation. With 12 key passes, versus fourteen at the comparable period of last campaign, his figures stay among the best in the continent and up in the ranks of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his juniors by fifteen and 13 years each.

Team Output

Measures of team output will concern the coach further. He had seventy-six touches in the opposition penalty area in the first seven fixtures of the prior campaign. The current campaign's total is thirty-nine. The stats are reflective of the team's problems as a whole. Only Manchester United and the Gunners have tried a greater number of attempts on goal than them this season, but the team's proportion of attempts from within the goal area is the lowest in the division, their share from outside the area among the greatest. Liverpool's percentage of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is also among the weakest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we primarily found the net from a special moment from a forward and in the later stage it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Now we have not seen as many moments of genius and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are still the side that from live action produces the most expected goals opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't punishing foes in the way Slot imagined when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were signed in the offseason, although Liverpool remain the division's equal third-top scorers. A tie on Sunday would be sufficient for him to attain the century of points in less games than any manager in Liverpool's past (46). Think what his forward line will do when it finally gels. The side remain a team of outstanding skill, equipped to igniting and reeling in any opponent for the championship, but cohesion is lacking. That can not be attributed on the summer recruits only.

Personal and Collective Challenges

Salah is not the sole key player to experience a dip, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to form and the defender laboring. But he is at the core of the upheaval that has lately affected Liverpool. That extends to a individual level, with Salah's sorrow over the death of Jota obvious on that emotional first game against Bournemouth. The effect of his tragedy can neither be quantified nor overlooked.

Strategic Shifts

Last season, he