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It has been a period, but Liverpool's forward returned assuming the lead part last week with a double in Casablanca that sealed Egypt's position at the upcoming World Cup. The main man taking the spotlight another time. The Merseyside club must have him to remain there.

Causes for Inconsistent Performances

There exist numerous causes why unsteady, unimpressive showings have been the recurring theme running through the team's start to their league defense, if they produced seven straight victories or, before Manchester United's visit to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The disruption from so many offseason moves, the coach's search for his top team, the late forward's tragic death; the winger has experienced the impact of them all during his unusually low-key start to the campaign.

Sunday's Key Fixture

The weekend's showpiece occasion could deliver the catalyst for the origin of a impressive 16 goals in 17 outings for Liverpool against United, who are making their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not won at their archrivals for almost a decade. The attacker will create the manager with an additional unexpected problem, yet, if he continue lost in the disruption for an extended period.

Recent Form

Liverpool's manager must have seen the irony of Salah's first goal against Djibouti recently. Drilled immediately with the exterior of his left foot into the close post, his eighth goal of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign was from an very similar position to his costly miss versus Chelsea before the international break.

Had that attempt been finished moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would even now be eulogising Florian Wirtz's first superb setup in the league. Discussions into his decline and the team's unusual losing run might as well have been postponed. Rather, the midfielder's wait persists while the coach broods over a third loss on the road, a couple due to late goals and one the result of a debatable penalty. Small margins, as Slot reiterated on Friday, but they do not camouflage underlying concerns.

Last Season's Contribution

Salah was key in pushing Liverpool towards a historic 20th league title the previous term while doubt over his career persisted in the backdrop. “We brought nearly the best out of Salah that campaign,” said Slot when his main attacker signed a fresh deal in the spring. There has been a noticeable decrease on an individual and team level from then. The squad, not the terms of a deal, are responsible.

Performance Decline

The 33-year-old's output in terms of scores and assists is down 50% on the same stage last season, from a total eight in the opening seven league games of 2024-25 to 4 (two goals and two assists) this season. His tally of shots has dropped from twenty-two to 12 while efforts on goal have dropped from fifteen to five, causing a steep fall in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, data show.

One attribute that has remained consistent is his playmaking. With 12 opportunities made, against fourteen at the same stage of last campaign, his figures stay among the finest in the continent and comparable in the ranks of young talents and rising stars, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years each.

Collective Display

Metrics of collective performance will concern the coach additionally. He had 76 contacts in the enemy penalty area in the initial seven fixtures of last season. This season's total is 39. The numbers are indicative of the team's problems overall. Only United and Arsenal have taken a greater number of attempts on goal than them in the current term, but Liverpool's proportion of attempts from within the goal area is the smallest in the Premier League, their share from long range among the highest. Liverpool's percentage of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – is also among the poorest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we mostly found the net from a moment of magic from a forward and in the second half it was more from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “Currently we haven’t had as many moments of genius and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from general play generates the highest xG chances.”

Recent Additions

They aren't beating foes in the fashion the coach planned when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were brought on board recently, though the team stay the league's third-best goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for Slot to attain the 100-point mark in fewer games than any coach in Liverpool's history (46). Think what his forward line will do when it finally gels. Liverpool are still a team of exceptional skill, able to igniting and chasing any rival for the championship, but unity is missing. This cannot be blamed on the recent arrivals only.

Personal and Team Issues

Salah is not the only key player to suffer a dip, with the midfielder returning to form and the defender laboring. But he finds himself at the center of the turmoil that has of late enveloped the club. That applies to a individual level, with his sorrow over the loss of Jota obvious on that poignant first game against the Cherries. The influence of Jota's loss can neither be quantified nor overlooked.

Strategic Shifts

Last season, he