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It's been some time, but Mohamed Salah was back assuming the main part recently with a double in Casablanca that confirmed the Egyptian team's position at the 2026 World Cup. The main man taking center stage another time. The Merseyside club must have him to keep that position.

Causes for Inconsistent Displays

We see several reasons why inconsistent, lackluster performances have been the recurring theme defining the team's opening to their title defence, whether they recorded seven straight victories or, before Manchester United's arrival to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, a losing run. The upheaval from so many new signings, Arne Slot's search for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's passing; Salah has felt the consequences of them all during his unusually quiet opening to the season.

Sunday's Big Match

The weekend's showpiece occasion could provide the catalyst for the cause of a impressive 16 strikes in 17 appearances for the club against Manchester United, who are paying their centenary trip to the stadium and have not triumphed at their fierce rivals for more than nine years. Salah will present Slot with an additional unexpected problem, though, should he continue lost in the disruption for an extended period.

Current Performance

The team's head coach must have recognized the contrast of Salah's opening strike against the opponent recently. Swept immediately with the exterior of his stronger foot into the front post, his eighth score of the national team's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an very similar position to his big mistake in the Chelsea match before the national team pause.

If that attempt been finished moments after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would still be praising the new signing's maiden superb assist in the league. Analyses into Salah's decline and the team's unusual losing run might also have been postponed. Rather, Wirtz's wait continues while the coach stews over a third consecutive defeat away, two inflicted by late goals and one the result of a controversial spot-kick. Narrow differences, as he repeated on recently, but they cannot hide underlying concerns.

Previous Campaign's Influence

The forward was key in driving the side towards a record-equalling 20th championship the previous term while speculation over his career rumbled in the backdrop. “We brought nearly the maximum out of Salah this season,” said Slot when his main attacker signed a new two‑year contract in April. We have seen a clear drop-off on an personal and collective level from then. The lineup, not the details of a deal, are responsible.

Statistical Decrease

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of scores and assists is down 50% on the corresponding point the prior campaign, from a combined 8 in the first seven matches of last season to four (two goals and two assists) this term. The count of attempts has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while efforts on goal have declined from 15 to 5, contributing to a steep fall in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, figures show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is Salah's playmaking. With twelve chances created, compared with 14 at the comparable period of last campaign, his figures stay among the best in the continent and comparable in the group of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his juniors by fifteen and 13 years each.

Collective Display

Metrics of team performance will concern the coach more. He had seventy-six contacts in the opposition penalty area in the opening seven matches of the previous term. This season's total is 39. The numbers are indicative of the team's problems as a whole. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have tried a greater number of attempts on goal than Liverpool now, but the team's percentage of shots from inside the six-yard area is the poorest in the top flight, their share from distance among the top. The club's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – is as well among the weakest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we primarily 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,” Slot said. “This season we have not seen as many acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are still the team that from live action generates the highest expected goals opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They aren't punishing opponents in the fashion Slot imagined when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired this summer, although Liverpool remain the division's equal third-top goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for him to attain the century of points in less games than any manager in the club's history (46). Imagine what his attack will do when it clicks. Liverpool are still a squad of supreme talent, capable of sparking and reeling in any opponent for the championship, but unity is lacking. This can not be attributed on the recent arrivals alone.

Personal and Collective Problems

The player is not the only key member to suffer a dip, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté struggling. But he ends up at the core of the upheaval that has lately engulfed Liverpool. That extends to a personal level, with Salah's grief over the death of Diogo Jota clear on that emotional opening night against Bournemouth. The effect of Jota's tragedy can not be quantified nor dismissed.

Strategic Shifts

Last season, he