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It has been a while, but Liverpool's forward returned playing the main part in recent days with a brace in Casablanca that confirmed Egypt's spot at the upcoming World Cup. The star taking the limelight another time. Liverpool require him to remain there.

Factors for Unsteady Displays

We see several reasons why unsteady, lackluster showings have been the recurring theme characterizing Liverpool's beginning to their league defense, whether they recorded seven straight victories or, prior to the Red Devils' arrival to Anfield on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The turmoil from so many offseason moves, the coach's quest for his best XI, the late forward's loss; Salah has felt the consequences of them all during his atypically quiet beginning to the season.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's big match could deliver 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 triumphed at their archrivals for over nine years. Salah will present the manager with an additional unforeseen dilemma, yet, should he remain caught in the turmoil indefinitely.

Current Form

The team's manager must have recognized the contrast of the player's opening strike against the opponent in midweek. Drilled immediately with the exterior of his left foot into the front post, his eighth score of the national team's World Cup qualifying campaign originated from an almost identical location to his big mistake versus Chelsea before the break for internationals.

Had that right-foot effort been finished moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating the new signing's maiden sublime setup in the league. Inquests into Salah's decline and Liverpool's infrequent losing run might as well have been delayed. Rather, the midfielder's wait persists while the coach fumes over a third loss on the road, a couple inflicted by dying-minute strikes and one the result of a debatable penalty. Narrow differences, as he reiterated on recently, but they do not camouflage underlying concerns.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

The forward was crucial in propelling the side towards a record-equalling 20th crown the previous term while uncertainty over his future rumbled in the backdrop. “We brought almost the maximum out of Mo last term,” said the manager when his main attacker signed an extension in April. There has been a clear drop-off on an individual and team level since. The team, not the terms of a contract, are to blame.

Performance Drop

His contribution in terms of scores and assists is down 50% on the corresponding stage the prior campaign, from a total 8 in the opening seven fixtures of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) the current campaign. His tally of attempts has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while shots on target have fallen from 15 to 5, contributing to a sharp drop in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, figures show.

A particular skill that has held more steady is Salah's chance creation. With twelve chances created, versus 14 at the equivalent point of last term, his numbers stay among the top in the continent and comparable in the group of young talents and rising stars, his juniors by 15 and 13 years each.

Team Performance

Metrics of collective performance will worry the coach further. Salah had seventy-six contacts in the enemy box in the initial seven fixtures of the prior campaign. The current campaign's tally is thirty-nine. The stats are reflective of the squad's issues as a whole. Just United and Arsenal have taken a greater number of shots on goal than them in the current term, but Liverpool's percentage of attempts from within the six-yard area is the smallest in the Premier League, their share from long range among the greatest. The club's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is also among the poorest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we mostly found the net from a moment of magic from one of our front three and in the second half it was mostly from a set piece,” Slot said. “Currently we have not seen as numerous moments of genius and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from general play generates the most quality opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They aren't hurting rivals in the way the coach imagined when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were signed recently, while Liverpool are the league's joint third-highest scorers. A draw on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to attain the century of points in less games than any manager in the club's past (46). Think what his attack will do when it clicks. Liverpool remain a squad of exceptional skill, capable of sparking and reeling in any foe for the title, but synergy is absent. That can not be pinned on the summer recruits by themselves.

Individual and Team Issues

The player is not the only established player to experience a dip, with the midfielder working his way back to match sharpness and Ibrahima Konaté struggling. But he ends up at the heart of the disruption that has lately engulfed Liverpool. That applies to a personal level, with Salah's grief over the death of Jota obvious on that poignant season opener against Bournemouth. The impact of his death can neither be quantified nor ignored.

Tactical Changes

Last season, he