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It's been some time, but the Egyptian star was back playing the main part recently with a double in Morocco that confirmed Egypt's spot at the upcoming World Cup. The star claiming the limelight once more. The Merseyside club must have him to keep that position.

Reasons for Variable Showings

We see numerous causes why inconsistent, unconvincing showings have been the recurring theme characterizing the team's start to their title defence, whether they produced seven wins in a row or, prior to the Red Devils' arrival to Anfield on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The upheaval from so many new signings, the coach's hunt for his top team, Diogo Jota's loss; the winger has felt the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key start to the campaign.

The Weekend's Big Match

Sunday's showpiece occasion could deliver the spark for the origin of a impressive 16 strikes in 17 outings for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th visit to the stadium and have not triumphed at their archrivals for more than nine years. The attacker will present Slot with another unexpected problem, yet, if he stay caught in the disruption much longer.

Recent Form

The team's head coach must have recognized the paradox of Salah's first goal against the opponent in midweek. Struck directly with the outside of his left foot inside the front post, Salah's eighth goal of the national team's qualifying effort came from an very similar spot to his costly miss versus Chelsea before the international break.

If that right-foot effort been converted moments after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be eulogising the new signing's maiden sublime pass in the Premier League. Discussions into his dip and Liverpool's rare defeat streak might as well have been postponed. Instead, Wirtz's wait goes on while Slot fumes over a third consecutive away defeat, a couple caused by late goals and another the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as Slot emphasized on recently, but they cannot hide larger problems.

Last Season's Impact

The forward was crucial in driving the side towards a historic 20th league title the previous term while doubt over his future lingered in the backdrop. We extracted almost the best out of Mo last term,” said the manager when his top scorer signed an extension in the spring. There has been a obvious drop-off on an individual and team level from then. The lineup, not the terms of a deal, are accountable.

Performance Decline

The 33-year-old's output in terms of scores and setups is down half on the corresponding point last season, from a combined eight in the initial seven fixtures of 2024-25 to four (a pair of goals and two assists) the current campaign. The count of attempts has dropped from twenty-two to twelve while efforts on goal have dropped from fifteen to 5, causing a steep drop in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, figures show.

One attribute that has remained consistent is his chance creation. With twelve key passes, versus 14 at the same stage of last campaign, his figures stay among the best in the continent and up in the ranks of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years respectively.

Team Output

Measures of team output will trouble Slot more. Salah had 76 touches in the enemy box in the opening seven fixtures of the previous term. The current campaign's count is 39. The stats are indicative of the squad's issues in general. Just United and the Gunners have attempted a greater number of attempts on goal than them this season, but the team's percentage of attempts from within the six-yard box is the lowest in the Premier League, their share from distance among the highest. Liverpool's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4% – is also among the weakest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we primarily scored from an individual brilliance from an attacker and in the second half it was mostly from a set piece,” the manager said. “Now we lack as many acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are still the side that from live action generates the most expected goals opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't punishing foes in the manner Slot imagined when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were brought on board this summer, although Liverpool are the division's third-best goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to achieve the century of points in fewer games than any boss in the club's past (forty-six). Consider what his offense will do when it does settle. Liverpool remain a squad of outstanding skill, equipped to sparking and chasing any opponent for the championship, but unity is absent. That cannot be attributed on the summer recruits only.

Individual and Team Challenges

The player is not the only established member to experience a decline, with Alexis Mac Allister regaining to match sharpness and the defender laboring. But he is at the heart of the disruption that has of late affected the club. That applies to a individual level, with Salah's grief over the loss of Jota evident on that poignant opening night against Bournemouth. The effect of Jota's loss can not be measured nor overlooked.

Strategic Shifts

Previously, he