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It has been a while, but Liverpool's forward was back taking on the main part last week with a double in Morocco that sealed the Egyptian team's position at the global tournament. The star taking center stage once more. The Merseyside club must have him to remain there.

Causes for Variable Showings

There are several causes why unsteady, unimpressive performances have been the recurring theme characterizing Liverpool's beginning to their championship defense, whether they achieved seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's visit to Anfield on Sunday, a losing run. The upheaval from so many new signings, Arne Slot's search for his ideal lineup, the late forward's passing; Salah has experienced the impact of them all during his unusually low-key beginning to the campaign.

The Weekend's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's key fixture could deliver the impetus for the origin of a impressive 16 strikes in 17 appearances for Liverpool against United, who are making their centenary trip to the stadium and have not succeeded at their fierce rivals for over nine years. The attacker will pose Slot with another surprise issue, yet, if he stay lost in the turmoil for an extended period.

Latest Display

The team's head coach must have recognized the paradox of Salah's initial score against Djibouti recently. Struck directly with the exterior of his left foot inside the near post, his eighth score of Egypt's qualifying effort originated from an almost identical spot to his big mistake versus Chelsea before the international break.

Had that right-foot effort been converted shortly after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would still be celebrating the new signing's maiden sublime pass in the English top flight. Discussions into Salah's drop and Liverpool's infrequent losing streak might also have been delayed. Instead, Wirtz's search persists while Slot broods over a third loss on the road, two inflicted by late goals and another the outcome of a debatable penalty. Fine lines, as Slot reiterated on Friday, but they do not camouflage bigger issues.

Last Season's Influence

The forward was crucial in driving the side towards a tying 20th league title last season while doubt over his long-term plans lingered in the background. “We brought nearly the utmost out of Mo last term,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in the spring. There has been a clear decrease on an individual and collective level since. The team, not the details of a contract, are responsible.

Performance Decrease

The 33-year-old's output in terms of goals and assists is reduced half on the same stage last season, from a total 8 in the opening seven fixtures of 2024-25 to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this season. His number of attempts has dropped from 22 to 12 while efforts on goal have declined from 15 to five, causing a sharp drop in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, figures show.

One attribute that has remained consistent is Salah's creativity. With 12 key passes, compared with 14 at the equivalent point of the previous season, his figures stay among the top in Europe and up in the ranks of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by 15 and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Display

Indicators of team performance will concern the coach further. He had seventy-six touches in the enemy box in the first seven league games of last season. This season's count is 39. The numbers are reflective of the squad's difficulties in general. Just United and Arsenal have tried a greater number of shots on goal than them now, but Liverpool's rate of attempts from inside the six-yard area is the lowest in the top flight, their ratio from long range among the greatest. The club's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is as well among the weakest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we mainly scored from a special moment from a forward and in the later stage it was more from a dead ball,” the manager said. “Now we lack as numerous moments of genius and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are still the team that from live action generates the most expected goals opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not punishing foes in the fashion the coach imagined when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were brought on board recently, though Liverpool stay the league's joint third-highest scorers. A tie on the weekend would be sufficient for him to reach the 100-point mark in less games than any boss in Liverpool's past (forty-six). Think what his offense will do when it clicks. Liverpool remain a team of outstanding individual quality, able to sparking and reeling in any foe for the championship, but unity is absent. This cannot be blamed on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Team Challenges

Salah is not the sole senior player to suffer a dip, with the midfielder returning to form and the defender struggling. But he finds himself at the center of the upheaval that has recently engulfed the club. That applies to a personal level, with Salah's sorrow over the passing of Diogo Jota clear on that heartfelt season opener against Bournemouth. The influence of Jota's death can neither be quantified nor ignored.

Tactical Shifts

Last season, he