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It's been some time, but Liverpool's forward returned playing the main part in recent days with a brace in Morocco that sealed Egypt's position at the global tournament. The key player claiming the spotlight yet again. The Merseyside club must have him to remain there.

Reasons for Unsteady Performances

There exist several causes why variable, lackluster displays have been the common thread characterizing the team's opening to their championship defense, if they achieved a winning streak or, before Manchester United's visit to Anfield on the weekend, three losses in a row. The upheaval from numerous offseason moves, Arne Slot's quest for his top team, the late forward's passing; Salah has felt the effect of them all during his uncharacteristically subdued beginning to the campaign.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

The weekend's showpiece occasion could provide the catalyst for the source of a record 16 strikes in 17 outings for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are making their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not succeeded at their biggest foes for over nine years. The attacker will pose Slot with another unexpected problem, yet, if he stay caught in the disruption much longer.

Recent Performance

The team's boss must have seen the paradox of the player's initial score against the opponent in midweek. Drilled directly with the exterior of his stronger foot into the near post, Salah's eighth strike of Egypt's qualification run was from an very similar spot to his expensive error versus Chelsea prior to the international break.

Had that shot with his right been converted shortly after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would even now be eulogising Florian Wirtz's maiden excellent pass in the Premier League. Discussions into his decline and Liverpool's unusual losing streak might as well have been delayed. Instead, the midfielder's search continues while Slot stews over a third loss on the road, a couple due to late goals and another the result of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as he emphasized on Friday, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Impact

Salah was key in propelling Liverpool towards a historic 20th league title the prior campaign while uncertainty over his career persisted in the background. “We brought almost the maximum out of Mo that campaign,” said the manager when his leading striker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. We have seen a noticeable drop-off on an personal and collective level from then. The squad, not the details of a contract, are to blame.

Performance Decrease

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of scores and setups is lower half on the corresponding stage last season, from a total eight in the initial seven matches of last season to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this season. His number of attempts has fallen from 22 to 12 while efforts on goal have declined from fifteen to 5, causing a steep drop in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, data show.

A particular skill that has stayed stable is Salah's chance creation. With 12 key passes, versus 14 at the same stage of the previous season, his stats remain among the finest in the continent and up in the company of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and 13 years each.

Team Performance

Metrics of collective output will worry Slot more. Salah had 76 contacts in the opposition box in the first seven matches of the prior campaign. This term's tally is 39. The stats are reflective of the squad's issues as a whole. Just Manchester United and the Gunners have taken more shots on goal than Liverpool in the current term, but the team's percentage of shots from inside the goal area is the smallest in the top flight, their percentage from long range among the top. The club's rate of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is as well among the weakest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we mainly found the net from a special moment from one of our front three and in the second half it was more from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “Currently we lack as many acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the side that from general play generates the most quality opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They aren't punishing rivals in the fashion the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were brought on board recently, though the team are the league's third-best scorers. A tie on Sunday would be enough for Slot to attain the century of points in fewer games than any manager in Liverpool's history (46). Think what his forward line will do when it finally gels. Liverpool are still a squad of supreme talent, able to igniting and catching any opponent for the championship, but synergy is absent. This can not be attributed on the summer recruits alone.

Personal and Collective Issues

Salah is not the only senior player to suffer a decline, with the midfielder working his way back to match sharpness and the defender struggling. But he is at the core of the disruption that has recently engulfed Liverpool. This applies to a individual level, with his grief over the death of Jota evident on that emotional season opener against Bournemouth. The influence of Jota's loss can not be assessed nor ignored.

Tactical Changes

Previously, he