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It has been some time, but Liverpool's forward was back playing the starring role in recent days with two goals in Casablanca that secured Egypt's place at the global tournament. The key player taking the spotlight another time. Liverpool require him to remain there.

Reasons for Unsteady Showings

There are several causes why inconsistent, lackluster displays have been the frequent pattern characterizing the team's start to their championship defense, if they recorded a winning streak or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three losses in a row. The turmoil from so many offseason moves, the coach's search for his best XI, Diogo Jota's passing; Salah has endured the impact of them all during his uncharacteristically subdued opening to the campaign.

The Weekend's Key Fixture

Sunday's key fixture could provide the catalyst for the source of a record 16 goals in 17 outings for Liverpool against United, who are paying their 100th visit to Anfield and have not won at their biggest foes for over nine years. Salah will present Slot with a further unforeseen dilemma, yet, should he stay caught in the disruption for an extended period.

Recent Form

The team's manager must have recognized the irony of Salah's first goal against the opponent recently. Swept directly with the outside of his stronger foot into the close post, his eighth goal of the national team's qualification run came from an almost identical position to his big mistake in the Chelsea match prior to the break for internationals.

Had that attempt been converted shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would even now be eulogising the new signing's first superb assist in the English top flight. Inquests into his decline and the team's unusual losing run might also have been postponed. Rather, the midfielder's search goes on while the coach broods over a third consecutive defeat away, two caused by last-minute winners and another the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Small margins, as he reiterated on recently, but they do not camouflage underlying concerns.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

Salah was instrumental in pushing Liverpool towards a tying 20th league title the prior campaign while uncertainty over his career persisted in the backdrop. We achieved almost the best out of Salah that campaign,” said the manager when his main attacker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. We have seen a clear decline on an personal and team level since. The team, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Performance Drop

The 33-year-old's output in terms of goals and setups is lower half on the corresponding stage the prior campaign, from a combined 8 in the first seven matches of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) this term. His tally of attempts has decreased from twenty-two to 12 while shots on target have declined from 15 to 5, leading to a steep decline in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, statistics show.

A particular skill that has held more steady is Salah's chance creation. With twelve key passes, against fourteen at the equivalent point of last campaign, his stats remain among the finest in the continent and up in the group of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by 15 and 13 years respectively.

Collective Display

Metrics of team output will trouble Slot further. He had 76 contacts in the opposition box in the opening seven fixtures of the previous term. This season's count is 39. These figures are indicative of the team's issues overall. Only United and Arsenal have tried more attempts on goal than Liverpool in the current term, but Liverpool's percentage of shots from inside the goal area is the smallest in the Premier League, their percentage from long range among the highest. The club's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is as well among the lowest in the league.

“In the first half of last season we mostly found the net from a special moment from one of our front three and in the second half it was more from a set piece,” the manager said. “Currently we have not seen as many sparks of quality and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are still the team that from general play produces the highest expected goals opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They are not beating foes in the manner the coach planned when Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were acquired this summer, although Liverpool are the league's third-best scorers. A tie on the weekend would be sufficient for him to attain the 100-point total in fewer games than any manager in Liverpool's past (46). Imagine what his forward line will do when it clicks. The side remain a team of outstanding talent, equipped to igniting and reeling in any opponent for the championship, but synergy is absent. This can not be pinned on the summer recruits alone.

Personal and Team Challenges

Salah is not the sole established member to experience a dip, with Alexis Mac Allister returning to fitness and the defender toiling. But he is at the center of the turmoil that has of late engulfed Liverpool. This goes to a individual level, with his sorrow over the passing of Jota clear on that emotional opening night against the Cherries. The effect of Jota's tragedy can not be quantified nor overlooked.

Strategic Changes

In the prior campaign, he