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It's been a while, but Mohamed Salah returned playing the starring role in recent days with a brace in Morocco that sealed the Egyptian team's position at the global tournament. The star taking center stage another time. Liverpool must have him to stay there.

Reasons for Inconsistent Showings

We see several factors why unsteady, lackluster displays have been the frequent pattern running through the team's start to their title defence, whether they recorded a winning streak or, prior to Manchester United's arrival to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The upheaval from numerous new signings, Arne Slot's search for his ideal lineup, the late forward's loss; the winger has felt the effect of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key opening to the campaign.

Sunday's Big Match

Sunday's big match could offer the impetus for the source of a impressive 16 goals in 17 games for Liverpool against United, who are paying their 100th appearance to the stadium and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for over nine years. Salah will pose Slot with a further unforeseen dilemma, though, if he remain caught in the upheaval indefinitely.

Current Display

Liverpool's head coach likely noticed the contrast of the player's first goal against the opponent recently. Drilled directly with the outside of his left foot into the close post, his eighth score of the national team's qualifying effort was from an very similar position to his expensive error against Chelsea prior to the international break.

Had that right-foot effort been converted shortly after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would still be praising Florian Wirtz's first excellent setup in the Premier League. Discussions into Salah's drop and Liverpool's rare losing streak might also have been delayed. Rather, Wirtz's search goes on while Slot fumes over a third defeat away, a couple due to last-minute winners and one the result of a controversial spot-kick. Narrow differences, as Slot repeated on Friday, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Impact

The forward was crucial in propelling the side towards a record-equalling 20th crown the previous term while uncertainty over his long-term plans persisted in the backdrop. We achieved nearly the maximum out of Salah that campaign,” said the manager when his top scorer signed a fresh deal in the spring. There has been a obvious decrease on an personal and team level from then. The team, not the details of a contract, are accountable.

Statistical Decline

His production in terms of scores and assists is down half on the corresponding stage the previous term, from a combined eight in the initial seven matches of 2024-25 to four (two goals and two assists) this season. His number of shots has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while accurate shots have fallen from fifteen to five, causing a significant drop in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.

A single trait that has held more steady is Salah's creativity. With 12 opportunities made, compared with fourteen at the equivalent point of last campaign, his numbers stay among the top in the continent and comparable in the group of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by 15 and thirteen years each.

Collective Performance

Indicators of team output will concern the coach more. He had 76 touches in the enemy box in the initial seven fixtures of the prior campaign. This term's total is 39. The stats are symptomatic of the squad's difficulties in general. Only United and the Gunners have taken more attempts on goal than them now, but Liverpool's percentage of shots from within the goal area is the smallest in the division, their share from distance among the highest. Liverpool's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is also among the poorest in the competition.

During the initial phase of the previous campaign we primarily found the net from a special moment from one of our front three and in the second half it was mostly from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Now we lack as numerous moments of genius and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are still the side that from live action creates the highest xG chances.”

Summer Arrivals

They aren't hurting rivals in the fashion the coach envisaged when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were signed this summer, though Liverpool stay the division's third-best goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for him to reach the 100-point mark in less games than any coach in the club's past (forty-six). Think what his offense will do when it clicks. Liverpool remain a team of outstanding individual quality, capable of igniting and reeling in any rival for the championship, but cohesion is missing. That cannot be pinned on the summer recruits only.

Individual and Collective Problems

Salah is not the only key member to suffer a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister returning to match sharpness and the defender laboring. But he finds himself at the core of the turmoil that has recently affected Liverpool. This extends to a personal level, with Salah's sadness over the loss of Diogo Jota obvious on that poignant opening night against the Cherries. The effect of his death can neither be assessed nor overlooked.

Tactical Changes

In the prior campaign, he