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It has been some time, but Liverpool's forward returned assuming the lead part in recent days with a double in Casablanca that confirmed the Egyptian team's position at the upcoming World Cup. The key player taking the spotlight once more. The Reds need him to remain there.

Reasons for Inconsistent Displays

There exist many factors why variable, lackluster showings have been the recurring theme defining the team's beginning to their league defense, if they recorded seven straight victories or, before Manchester United's trip to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, a losing run. The upheaval from multiple offseason moves, the coach's hunt for his top team, Diogo Jota's loss; Salah has felt the consequences of them all during his unusually subdued beginning to the term.

The Weekend's Big Match

Sunday's showpiece occasion could provide the spark for the origin of a impressive 16 strikes in 17 games for Liverpool against United, who are paying their centenary trip to the stadium and have not won at their fierce rivals for more than nine years. The attacker will present the manager with a further unforeseen dilemma, though, if he continue lost in the upheaval much longer.

Recent Display

Liverpool's head coach must have recognized the irony of Salah's first goal against the opponent recently. Drilled immediately with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the front post, his eighth score of the national team's qualifying effort originated from an very similar spot to his expensive error against Chelsea before the national team pause.

Had that shot with his right been finished moments after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be praising the new signing's first sublime setup in the English top flight. Discussions into his drop and Liverpool's infrequent losing streak might as well have been postponed. Instead, Wirtz's wait goes on while the coach fumes over a third consecutive defeat away, two due to dying-minute strikes and another the outcome of a disputed penalty. Small margins, as he emphasized on recently, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Impact

Salah was instrumental in pushing Liverpool towards a historic 20th league title last season while uncertainty over his long-term plans lingered in the backdrop. “We brought almost the maximum out of Salah that campaign,” said the manager when his leading striker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. We have seen a clear decrease on an individual and team level since. The lineup, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Statistical Decrease

His production in terms of scores and assists is down half on the corresponding stage the previous term, from a combined eight in the opening seven matches of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this season. The count of shots has decreased from twenty-two to 12 while shots on target have fallen from fifteen to five, causing a significant drop in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.

A single trait that has remained consistent is his playmaking. With 12 chances created, versus 14 at the equivalent point of last campaign, his figures remain among the top in the continent and comparable in the ranks of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his younger counterparts by fifteen and thirteen years respectively.

Team Output

Measures of collective output will worry Slot more. Salah had seventy-six touches in the enemy box in the first seven matches of the previous term. This season's tally is 39. The stats are indicative of the squad's issues in general. Just Manchester United and the Gunners have taken a greater number of attempts on goal than Liverpool this season, but the team's proportion of attempts from inside the goal area is the poorest in the top flight, their percentage from outside the area among the greatest. The club's percentage of shots on target – 28.4 percent – is also among the lowest in the competition.

During the initial phase of last season we mostly scored from a moment of magic from an attacker and in the second half it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Currently we have not seen as numerous acts of brilliance and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are still the team that from general play generates the most quality opportunities.”

New Signings

They are not hurting opponents in the fashion the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were brought on board recently, though the team stay the division's equal third-top goalscorers. A tie on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to attain the 100-point mark in fewer games than any coach in the club's past (46). Imagine what his forward line will do when it does settle. The side are still a team of outstanding skill, able to starting and chasing any foe for the championship, but synergy is absent. This cannot be blamed on the summer recruits alone.

Personal and Collective Challenges

Salah is not the only senior member to suffer a dip, with Alexis Mac Allister regaining to match sharpness and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he ends up at the center of the upheaval that has recently enveloped Liverpool. This applies to a individual level, with his sadness over the loss of Jota obvious on that emotional first game against Bournemouth. The impact of Jota's loss can not be assessed nor overlooked.

Tactical Changes

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