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It has been some time, but Mohamed Salah was back playing the main part last week with a double in Casablanca that confirmed the Egyptian team's position at the upcoming World Cup. The star stepping on center stage once more. The Reds must have him to keep that position.

Factors for Unsteady Performances

There are several factors why variable, unconvincing showings have been the frequent pattern running through the team's start to their league defense, whether they produced a winning streak or, before the Red Devils' visit to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three losses in a row. The disruption from multiple offseason moves, the coach's hunt for his top team, Diogo Jota's loss; Salah has endured the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically subdued start to the term.

Sunday's Key Fixture

The weekend's showpiece occasion could provide the spark for the cause of a record 16 scores in 17 games for the club against United, who are making their 100th visit to the stadium and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for over nine years. Salah will create the manager with an additional unforeseen dilemma, however, should he remain caught in the disruption for an extended period.

Latest Display

The team's boss must have recognized the contrast of the player's opening strike against Djibouti recently. Drilled first time with the exterior of his left foot into the near post, Salah's eighth goal of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign originated from an nearly the same location to his expensive error versus Chelsea before the international break.

If that shot with his right been scored shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's maiden sublime assist in the Premier League. Analyses into his decline and Liverpool's infrequent defeat streak might as well have been avoided. Instead, Wirtz's search persists while the coach broods over a third defeat away, two due to last-minute winners and one the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Narrow differences, as he repeated on Friday, but they do not mask underlying concerns.

Last Season's Contribution

The forward was key in pushing the side towards a historic 20th league title the prior campaign while speculation over his long-term plans lingered in the background. “We brought almost the maximum out of Mo this season,” said Slot when his top scorer signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a noticeable decline on an personal and team level from then. The lineup, not the details of a deal, are to blame.

Statistical Decline

His production in terms of scores and assists is lower half on the same stage last season, from a total 8 in the first seven league games of last season to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this term. His number of shots has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while accurate shots have declined from fifteen to five, causing a sharp fall in shooting accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, statistics show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is his playmaking. With 12 opportunities made, against 14 at the equivalent point of last campaign, his figures remain among the best in Europe and comparable in the company of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his younger counterparts by fifteen and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Performance

Measures of collective display will trouble the coach additionally. Salah had 76 touches in the opposition box in the initial seven fixtures of the previous term. This term's total is 39. The numbers are indicative of the team's problems in general. Just United and Arsenal have taken more attempts on goal than Liverpool now, but Liverpool's proportion of shots from inside the six-yard area is the smallest in the Premier League, their percentage from outside the area among the greatest. Liverpool's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is as well among the weakest in the competition.

During the initial phase of last season we primarily found the net from an individual brilliance from a forward and in the later stage it was mostly from a dead ball,” Slot said. “This season we lack as many acts of brilliance and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the side that from general play produces the highest xG chances.”

Summer Arrivals

They aren't hurting foes in the fashion Slot planned when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were acquired recently, though Liverpool are the league's joint third-highest scorers. A draw on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to achieve the century of points in less games than any coach in the club's history (forty-six). Imagine what his forward line will do when it clicks. Liverpool remain a squad of supreme skill, able to starting and catching any rival for the championship, but synergy is lacking. That cannot be attributed on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Team Issues

Salah is not the only established member to experience a dip, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to form and Ibrahima Konaté laboring. But he is at the core of the upheaval that has lately engulfed Liverpool. This goes to a personal level, with Salah's sorrow over the loss of Diogo Jota obvious on that poignant first game against the Cherries. The impact of Jota's tragedy can neither be measured nor overlooked.

Tactical Shifts

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