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It's been some time, but Mohamed Salah was back assuming the starring role recently with two goals in Morocco that sealed the Egyptian team's place at the 2026 World Cup. The key player taking center stage another time. The Merseyside club must have him to keep that position.

Factors for Inconsistent Showings

We see several factors why inconsistent, unimpressive displays have been the common thread characterizing Liverpool's start to their title defence, if they achieved seven straight victories or, before the Red Devils' trip to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The turmoil from multiple new signings, Arne Slot's search for his ideal lineup, the late forward's loss; Salah has experienced the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key start to the campaign.

Sunday's Key Fixture

Sunday's key fixture could provide the catalyst for the cause of a record 16 goals in 17 games for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th visit to Anfield and have not won at their archrivals for almost a decade. Salah will present Slot with another surprise issue, however, if he stay lost in the upheaval indefinitely.

Latest Form

The team's manager must have seen the paradox of Salah's first goal against Djibouti last Wednesday. Struck first time with the exterior of his stronger foot into the close post, his eighth score of the national team's qualification run originated from an almost identical spot to his big mistake in the Chelsea match prior to the international break.

Had that attempt been finished shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would even now be praising the new signing's maiden sublime setup in the league. Analyses into his drop and Liverpool's unusual losing streak might also have been delayed. Rather, Wirtz's wait continues while the coach fumes over a third consecutive defeat away, a couple inflicted by late goals and one the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as he reiterated on recently, but they do not mask larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Impact

Salah was crucial in propelling Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th championship the previous term while doubt over his future persisted in the background. We achieved nearly the maximum out of Salah last term,” said the manager when his main attacker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. There has been a obvious drop-off on an personal and team level since. The squad, not the terms of a contract, are to blame.

Statistical Drop

His output in terms of scores and setups is down 50% on the same stage the prior campaign, from a total eight in the opening seven league games of last season to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this season. His tally of attempts has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while efforts on goal have fallen from 15 to 5, leading to a steep decline in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, figures show.

A single trait that has stayed stable is Salah's chance creation. With 12 key passes, versus 14 at the comparable period of last campaign, his stats are among the finest in Europe and comparable in the group of young talents and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by fifteen and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Display

Measures of collective output will concern the coach more. He had seventy-six contacts in the opposition box in the opening seven matches of the prior campaign. This season's tally is 39. These figures are reflective of the squad's issues in general. Only Manchester United and the Gunners have taken more attempts on goal than Liverpool this season, but the team's percentage of attempts from within the six-yard box is the smallest in the division, their percentage from outside the area among the top. Liverpool's proportion of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is as well among the poorest in the league.

“In the first half of last season we mainly scored from an individual brilliance from one of our front three and in the later stage it was mostly from a set piece,” the manager said. “Now we have not seen as numerous moments of genius and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are still the team that from general play creates the highest expected goals opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They aren't beating foes in the manner the coach envisaged when Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired in the offseason, though Liverpool are the league's third-best goalscorers. A tie on Sunday would be sufficient for him to achieve the 100-point mark in fewer games than any manager in Liverpool's past (46). Imagine what his attack will do when it does settle. The side remain a team of outstanding talent, equipped to sparking and reeling in any opponent for the title, but synergy is lacking. That can not be attributed on the summer recruits only.

Individual and Team Challenges

Salah is not the only established member to suffer a dip, with Alexis Mac Allister regaining to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté struggling. But he is at the center of the upheaval that has recently enveloped the club. This extends to a individual level, with Salah's grief over the loss of Diogo Jota evident on that poignant season opener against Bournemouth. The influence of Jota's loss can not be assessed nor dismissed.

Strategic Adjustments

Previously, he