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It has been a while, but Liverpool's forward was back playing the main part in recent days with a brace in Morocco that sealed Egypt's position at the 2026 World Cup. The key player claiming the spotlight yet again. The Merseyside club need him to remain there.

Factors for Inconsistent Performances

We see numerous factors why unsteady, lackluster showings have been the common thread running through Liverpool's beginning to their title defence, if they recorded a winning streak or, prior to the Red Devils' arrival to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, a losing run. The upheaval from multiple new signings, the coach's search for his best XI, the late forward's loss; Salah has endured the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically quiet opening to the term.

The Weekend's Big Match

Sunday's key fixture could deliver the catalyst for the cause of a impressive 16 scores in 17 appearances for Liverpool against United, who are paying their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not succeeded at their archrivals for over nine years. Salah will create the manager with a further surprise issue, however, if he remain lost in the turmoil much longer.

Current Form

Liverpool's head coach must have noticed the paradox of Salah's first goal against Djibouti last Wednesday. Drilled directly with the outside of his left foot inside the close post, Salah's eighth goal of Egypt's qualification run came from an very similar location to his big mistake versus Chelsea prior to the break for internationals.

Had that attempt been finished moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would even now be praising Florian Wirtz's first superb pass in the Premier League. Inquests into Salah's drop and Liverpool's infrequent losing run might also have been delayed. Instead, the midfielder's search persists while Slot fumes over a third away defeat, two inflicted by last-minute winners and one the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Narrow differences, as he reiterated on Friday, but they cannot hide underlying concerns.

Previous Campaign's Impact

The forward was instrumental in propelling Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th championship the previous term while doubt over his future persisted in the backdrop. “We brought almost the maximum out of Salah that campaign,” said Slot when his top scorer signed an extension in April. We have seen a noticeable decline on an individual and team level from then. The squad, not the terms of a contract, are to blame.

Statistical Drop

His production in terms of goals and setups is lower 50% on the corresponding point last season, from a total eight in the initial seven matches of 2024-25 to four (a pair of goals and two assists) this season. His number of attempts has decreased from 22 to 12 while shots on target have dropped from fifteen to five, leading to a sharp fall in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, figures show.

A single trait that has stayed stable is Salah's playmaking. With 12 key passes, versus fourteen at the comparable period of last term, his stats stay among the finest in the continent and up in the group of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his younger counterparts by fifteen and thirteen years each.

Collective Performance

Metrics of team display will trouble Slot more. Salah had seventy-six touches in the opposition penalty area in the opening seven fixtures of the previous term. The current campaign's count is 39. These figures are symptomatic of the squad's difficulties overall. Only United and Arsenal have attempted a greater number of attempts on goal than them in the current term, but the team's rate of attempts from within the six-yard box is the lowest in the division, their share from distance among the highest. The club's percentage of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is also among the poorest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we primarily scored from an individual brilliance from a forward and in the second half it was more from a set piece,” Slot said. “Currently we lack as numerous acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are still the side that from general play produces the most xG chances.”

Recent Additions

They are not hurting opponents in the manner the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were signed in the offseason, though Liverpool stay the league's equal third-top scorers. A tie on the weekend would be enough for him to attain the 100-point total in less games than any coach in Liverpool's history (46). Consider what his forward line will do when it does settle. The side are still a squad of outstanding individual quality, capable of sparking and catching any opponent for the championship, but cohesion is lacking. This can not be blamed on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Team Problems

Salah is not the only established player to experience a dip, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to match sharpness and the defender laboring. But he finds himself at the center of the upheaval that has recently enveloped Liverpool. This goes to a individual level, with his grief over the death of Jota evident on that emotional season opener against Bournemouth. The impact of Jota's tragedy can not be assessed nor dismissed.

Strategic Adjustments

Last season, he