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It's been a while, but the Egyptian star reappeared taking on the lead part last week with two goals in Morocco that secured Egypt's position at the 2026 World Cup. The star stepping on center stage yet again. The Reds must have him to stay there.

Reasons for Inconsistent Performances

We see several reasons why inconsistent, unconvincing showings have been the common thread characterizing Liverpool's start to their championship defense, if they produced a winning streak or, before Manchester United's visit to Anfield on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The disruption from multiple summer changes, Arne Slot's search for his best XI, Diogo Jota's passing; Salah has endured the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key start to the campaign.

The Weekend's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's key fixture could provide the impetus for the origin of a impressive 16 scores in 17 outings for Liverpool against United, who are paying their 100th visit to Anfield and have not succeeded at their biggest foes for over nine years. Salah will pose Slot with a further unforeseen dilemma, though, should he remain caught in the upheaval much longer.

Current Display

The team's boss likely noticed the paradox of the player's opening strike against the opponent last Wednesday. Drilled immediately with the outside of his stronger foot inside the near post, his eighth score of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an nearly the same position to his expensive error against Chelsea prior to the national team pause.

If that attempt been converted moments after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first sublime assist in the Premier League. Discussions into Salah's drop and Liverpool's rare losing streak might also have been postponed. Instead, Wirtz's search continues while the coach stews over a third consecutive defeat away, two due to dying-minute strikes and one the outcome of a debatable penalty. Narrow differences, as he reiterated on Friday, but they cannot hide underlying concerns.

Last Season's Influence

The forward was key in pushing Liverpool towards a tying 20th league title the previous term while speculation over his future lingered in the backdrop. “We brought almost the best out of Salah last term,” said the manager when his main attacker signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a clear decrease on an individual and team level since. The squad, not the terms of a contract, are accountable.

Statistical Decline

His production in terms of goals and setups is lower half on the corresponding stage last season, from a combined 8 in the opening seven league games of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this term. His tally of shots has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while efforts on goal have declined from 15 to 5, leading to a sharp decline in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.

One attribute that has held more steady is his creativity. With twelve chances created, compared with fourteen at the same stage of the previous season, his numbers 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 each.

Team Performance

Metrics of team display will worry Slot more. Salah had 76 contacts in the enemy penalty area in the initial seven fixtures of the previous term. This season's tally is thirty-nine. These figures are symptomatic of the squad's problems as a whole. Only United and Arsenal have attempted a greater number of shots on goal than Liverpool this season, but the team's percentage of attempts from inside the six-yard area is the smallest in the Premier League, their share from outside the area among the greatest. The club's rate of accurate shots – 28.4% – is as well among the lowest in the competition.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mostly scored from an individual brilliance from a forward and in the second half it was more from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “Now we have not seen as many sparks of quality and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from general play generates the highest quality opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They aren't hurting opponents in the fashion the coach imagined when Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired this summer, although Liverpool remain the division's third-best goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for Slot to reach the century of points in fewer games than any manager in the club's history (46). Consider what his attack will do when it clicks. Liverpool are still a team of exceptional individual quality, equipped to igniting and catching any opponent for the title, but cohesion is missing. This can not be attributed on the new signings alone.

Individual and Collective Issues

The player is not the only established member to suffer a dip, with the midfielder returning to fitness and the defender struggling. But he ends up at the core of the disruption that has lately engulfed Liverpool. That extends to a personal level, with his sadness over the passing of Diogo Jota obvious on that emotional first game against the Cherries. The influence of Jota's loss can neither be quantified nor dismissed.

Strategic Shifts

Previously, he