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It has been a while, but Liverpool's forward reappeared assuming the starring role last week with a brace in Morocco that confirmed the Egyptian team's place at the 2026 World Cup. The key player stepping on the spotlight once more. Liverpool must have him to remain there.

Reasons for Variable Showings

There exist many factors why variable, lackluster showings have been the common thread running through Liverpool's beginning to their league defense, whether they achieved seven wins in a row or, prior to Manchester United's visit to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, a losing run. The turmoil from so many new signings, the coach's search for his best XI, Diogo Jota's loss; the winger has endured the effect of them all during his atypically subdued start to the campaign.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's big match could provide the catalyst for the cause of a record 16 goals in 17 games for Liverpool against United, who are making their centenary trip to the stadium and have not won at their fierce rivals for almost a decade. The attacker will create Slot with a further unforeseen dilemma, however, should he continue caught in the disruption indefinitely.

Recent Form

The team's manager must have recognized the contrast of the player's initial score against the opponent last Wednesday. Struck first time with the exterior of his stronger foot into the front post, his eighth score of the national team's World Cup qualifying campaign was from an almost identical spot to his expensive error in the Chelsea match before the international break.

If that shot with his right been scored moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating the new signing's first sublime pass in the league. Discussions into his dip and the team's rare losing run might also have been delayed. Instead, the midfielder's wait continues while Slot fumes over a third defeat away, a couple caused by last-minute winners and one the result of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as Slot reiterated on recently, but they do not mask larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

Salah was key in pushing the side towards a tying 20th crown the previous term while uncertainty over his future rumbled in the backdrop. “We brought almost the utmost out of Salah that campaign,” said the manager when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a noticeable decrease on an personal and team level since. The squad, not the details of a deal, are to blame.

Performance Decline

The 33-year-old's output in terms of goals and assists is reduced half on the same point the prior campaign, from a combined 8 in the initial seven league games of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) this term. His number of shots has decreased from 22 to twelve while efforts on goal have dropped from fifteen to 5, contributing to a significant decline in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, statistics show.

One attribute that has remained consistent is his playmaking. With twelve chances created, versus 14 at the equivalent point of last campaign, his numbers are among the top in the continent and up in the company of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his juniors by 15 and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Display

Measures of team output will worry the coach further. Salah had 76 touches in the enemy penalty area in the first seven league games of last season. This season's tally is 39. The numbers are reflective of the squad's problems in general. Just United and the Gunners have tried a greater number of shots on goal than Liverpool now, but Liverpool's proportion of shots from inside the six-yard area is the lowest in the division, their share from distance among the top. Liverpool's percentage of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is as well among the poorest in the league.

“In the first half of last season we mainly scored from a moment of magic from a forward and in the second half it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Now we have not seen as numerous moments of genius and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the side that from general play produces the highest expected goals opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They are not beating foes in the way Slot envisaged when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were acquired in the offseason, while the team are the division's third-best goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be sufficient for him to reach the century of points in fewer games than any manager in Liverpool's past (46). Think what his attack will do when it clicks. The side remain a team of outstanding individual quality, equipped to starting and reeling in any rival for the championship, but unity is absent. That can not be attributed on the new signings by themselves.

Personal and Team Issues

The player is not the sole key member to suffer a drop-off, with the midfielder working his way back to form and Ibrahima Konaté struggling. But he ends up at the core of the turmoil that has of late affected the club. That applies to a individual level, with Salah's grief over the loss of Diogo Jota evident on that heartfelt first game against the Cherries. The influence of his tragedy can not be measured nor ignored.

Strategic Adjustments

In the prior campaign, he