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It has been a while, but the Egyptian star returned assuming the lead part recently with a double in Morocco that sealed the Egyptian team's position at the global tournament. The key player taking the limelight yet again. Liverpool must have him to keep that position.

Factors for Variable Performances

We see numerous reasons why variable, lackluster displays have been the frequent pattern characterizing the team's opening to their championship defense, if they achieved a winning streak or, before the Red Devils' visit to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, a losing run. The upheaval from multiple offseason moves, Arne Slot's hunt for his ideal lineup, the late forward's tragic death; Salah has experienced the consequences of them all during his unusually quiet beginning to the season.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

The weekend's big match could provide the catalyst for the cause of a record 16 strikes in 17 games for the club against Manchester United, who are paying their centenary trip to Anfield and have not succeeded at their biggest foes for more than nine years. Salah will pose the manager with another unforeseen dilemma, though, should he remain caught in the turmoil for an extended period.

Recent Display

Liverpool's boss must have recognized the paradox of Salah's first goal against the opponent in midweek. Swept first time with the exterior of his left foot into the close post, Salah's eighth strike of Egypt's qualifying effort was from an almost identical position to his costly miss against Chelsea before the international break.

If that right-foot effort been scored shortly after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would still be eulogising the new signing's maiden superb assist in the Premier League. Inquests into Salah's drop and Liverpool's infrequent defeat streak might as well have been postponed. Instead, Wirtz's search continues while the coach fumes over a third consecutive away defeat, two caused by dying-minute strikes and one the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as he repeated on Friday, but they do not camouflage underlying concerns.

Previous Campaign's Impact

The forward was crucial in driving Liverpool towards a historic 20th crown the previous term while uncertainty over his career persisted in the backdrop. We achieved almost the best out of Salah this season,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a clear decline on an individual and collective level from then. The squad, not the details of a contract, are responsible.

Statistical Decline

His contribution in terms of goals and assists is lower half on the same point last season, from a combined 8 in the first seven fixtures of last season to four (two goals and two assists) this term. The count of attempts has decreased from 22 to twelve while accurate shots have fallen from 15 to five, contributing to a sharp decline in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, figures show.

A single trait that has stayed stable is Salah's chance creation. With 12 chances created, versus 14 at the comparable period of the previous season, his numbers are among the best in the continent and comparable in the ranks of young talents and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years respectively.

Collective Display

Measures of team performance will trouble Slot further. He had 76 touches in the opposition penalty area in the first seven fixtures of last season. The current campaign's count is thirty-nine. These figures are indicative of the squad's issues overall. Just Manchester United and the Gunners have tried more attempts on goal than them this season, but Liverpool's rate of attempts from within the six-yard area is the poorest in the division, their percentage from outside the area among the top. Liverpool's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is also among the weakest in the league.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mostly found the net from a moment of magic from a forward and in the second half it was mostly from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Currently we haven’t had as many acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from live action creates the most expected goals opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not punishing rivals in the fashion the coach envisaged when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were signed recently, though Liverpool remain the division's equal third-top goalscorers. A tie on the weekend would be sufficient for him to attain the 100-point total in fewer games than any coach in Liverpool's history (forty-six). Think what his forward line will do when it does settle. The side remain a team of exceptional individual quality, capable of starting and chasing any opponent for the championship, but cohesion is missing. That cannot be blamed on the new signings only.

Individual and Team Problems

Salah is not the only established member to experience a dip, with the midfielder returning to fitness and the defender laboring. But he ends up at the center of the turmoil that has lately affected the club. This goes to a individual level, with his grief over the passing of Diogo Jota evident on that emotional opening night against the Cherries. The effect of his tragedy can not be measured nor overlooked.

Strategic Adjustments

Previously, he