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It has been a period, but the Egyptian star returned taking on the main part recently with a brace in Casablanca that confirmed Egypt's position at the 2026 World Cup. The key player claiming center stage once more. The Reds must have him to keep that position.

Reasons for Unsteady Displays

There exist many reasons why unsteady, lackluster displays have been the recurring theme defining Liverpool's beginning to their title defence, if they achieved a winning streak or, before the Red Devils' visit to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, a losing run. The disruption from so many summer changes, the coach's hunt for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's loss; the winger has felt the consequences of them all during his unusually subdued start to the campaign.

Sunday's Big Match

Sunday's key fixture could deliver the catalyst for the source of a record 16 scores in 17 outings for the club against United, who are paying their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for almost a decade. Salah will present Slot with a further unforeseen dilemma, however, should he continue caught in the upheaval for an extended period.

Recent Form

Liverpool's boss likely noticed the paradox of the player's initial score against Djibouti recently. Struck first time with the exterior of his stronger foot into the front post, Salah's eighth strike of the national team's World Cup qualifying campaign originated from an nearly the same location to his big mistake against Chelsea prior to the international break.

Had that shot with his right been finished moments after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be praising the new signing's maiden excellent pass in the league. Discussions into Salah's decline and the team's infrequent losing streak might as well have been delayed. Instead, Wirtz's search goes on while Slot broods over a third loss on the road, a couple due to dying-minute strikes and another the outcome of a disputed penalty. Narrow differences, as Slot emphasized on recently, but they cannot hide underlying concerns.

Last Season's Contribution

Salah was instrumental in propelling Liverpool towards a historic 20th championship last season while uncertainty over his career rumbled in the background. “We brought almost the best out of Mo this season,” said the manager when his top scorer signed a new two‑year contract in April. There has been a noticeable drop-off on an personal and team level since. The lineup, not the details of a contract, are responsible.

Performance Drop

The 33-year-old's output in terms of goals and assists is down 50% on the same point the prior campaign, from a combined 8 in the first seven matches of last season to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this term. His tally of shots has fallen from 22 to 12 while shots on target have declined from fifteen to five, leading to a significant decline in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.

One attribute that has stayed stable is his chance creation. With twelve chances created, versus 14 at the comparable period of last campaign, his numbers are among the finest in Europe and up in the company of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years each.

Collective Performance

Indicators of collective output will worry the coach more. Salah had seventy-six contacts in the enemy penalty area in the opening seven fixtures of the previous term. The current campaign's total is 39. The stats are indicative of the team's problems overall. Only United and the Gunners have taken a greater number of shots on goal than them now, but the team's percentage of shots from within the goal area is the lowest in the top flight, their ratio from long range among the top. Liverpool's percentage of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is as well among the poorest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we mainly found the net from a special moment from one of our front three and in the later stage it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “This season we lack as numerous moments of genius and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from open play generates the highest quality opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't beating rivals in the way Slot envisaged when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were signed this summer, though Liverpool stay the division's third-best goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for Slot to attain the century of points in less games than any coach in the club's history (46). Think what his attack will do when it finally gels. Liverpool are still a squad of exceptional talent, able to sparking and chasing any opponent for the championship, but unity is missing. That can not be pinned on the recent arrivals only.

Personal and Team Challenges

The player is not the only key member to suffer a drop-off, with the midfielder regaining to match sharpness and Ibrahima Konaté laboring. But he is at the heart of the turmoil that has recently affected Liverpool. That goes to a personal level, with his sorrow over the loss of Jota clear on that poignant first game against Bournemouth. The impact of his loss can not be quantified nor dismissed.

Strategic Changes

In the prior campaign, he