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It's been some time, but the Egyptian star reappeared playing the main part recently with two goals in Morocco that confirmed Egypt's position at the 2026 World Cup. The key player stepping on the limelight another time. Liverpool must have him to remain there.

Reasons for Unsteady Performances

We see many reasons why unsteady, unconvincing displays have been the common thread defining the team's beginning to their league defense, if they produced seven wins in a row or, before the Red Devils' visit to Anfield on the weekend, a losing run. The upheaval from numerous offseason moves, the coach's search for his best XI, Diogo Jota's loss; Salah has experienced the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key opening to the campaign.

The Weekend's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's big match could deliver the impetus for the cause of a impressive 16 strikes in 17 appearances for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are making their 100th appearance to the stadium and have not succeeded at their archrivals for over nine years. Salah will create the manager with another surprise issue, though, should he stay lost in the disruption indefinitely.

Latest Display

Liverpool's manager likely seen the irony of Salah's first goal against the opponent in midweek. Drilled first time with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the front post, his eighth strike of Egypt's qualifying effort came from an almost identical spot to his expensive error versus Chelsea before the national team pause.

If that shot with his right been scored moments after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would even now be eulogising the new signing's first excellent pass in the Premier League. Analyses into his drop and Liverpool's rare defeat streak might as well have been avoided. Instead, the midfielder's wait goes on while Slot broods over a third consecutive away defeat, a couple caused by dying-minute strikes and another the outcome of a debatable penalty. Small margins, as Slot reiterated on recently, but they cannot hide underlying concerns.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

Salah was crucial in pushing Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th league title last season while uncertainty over his future rumbled in the background. We extracted almost the utmost out of Salah this season,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in April. We have seen a clear decrease on an individual and collective level since. The team, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Statistical Decline

The 33-year-old's output in terms of goals and setups is reduced 50% on the corresponding point last season, from a combined eight in the opening seven league games of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) this season. His tally of attempts has fallen from twenty-two to 12 while accurate shots have fallen from 15 to five, contributing to a steep decline in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, figures show.

A single trait that has remained consistent is Salah's playmaking. With 12 opportunities made, versus 14 at the equivalent point of last term, his figures are among the best in Europe and up in the company of young talents and rising stars, his juniors by fifteen and 13 years each.

Team Display

Metrics of team display will worry Slot further. Salah had 76 contacts in the enemy penalty area in the initial seven fixtures of the previous term. This season's count is thirty-nine. The numbers are symptomatic of the squad's problems as a whole. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have tried more shots on goal than them now, but the team's proportion of shots from inside the six-yard area is the lowest in the Premier League, their share from outside the area among the top. Liverpool's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is also among the weakest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we primarily scored from a special moment from a forward and in the later stage it was more from a dead ball,” the manager said. “This season we lack as many moments of genius and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are still the side that from open play produces the highest xG chances.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not beating opponents in the fashion Slot planned when Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired recently, although Liverpool stay the division's joint third-highest scorers. A tie on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to attain the 100-point total in fewer games than any boss in Liverpool's past (forty-six). Think what his forward line will do when it does settle. Liverpool are still a team of outstanding individual quality, able to igniting and reeling in any foe for the title, but unity is missing. That can not be blamed on the summer recruits by themselves.

Personal and Collective Problems

Salah is not the only established member to experience a dip, with the midfielder returning to form and the defender struggling. But he ends up at the center of the upheaval that has of late engulfed Liverpool. This applies to a individual level, with his grief over the loss of Jota evident on that heartfelt first game against Bournemouth. The influence of his death can not be assessed nor dismissed.

Tactical Shifts

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