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It has been a while, but Mohamed Salah reappeared taking on the main part last week with a brace in Casablanca that sealed the Egyptian team's place at the 2026 World Cup. The key player claiming the limelight once more. Liverpool require him to keep that position.

Reasons for Inconsistent Displays

We see many factors why inconsistent, unconvincing showings have been the recurring theme running through the team's beginning to their title defence, if they achieved a winning streak or, prior to the Red Devils' arrival to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, three losses in a row. The upheaval from numerous new signings, Arne Slot's quest for his ideal lineup, the late forward's passing; the winger has felt the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically quiet beginning to the term.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's showpiece occasion could offer the impetus for the origin of a record 16 scores in 17 outings for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are making their centenary trip to Anfield and have not succeeded at their biggest foes for more than nine years. Salah will pose Slot with another surprise issue, however, should he remain caught in the turmoil for an extended period.

Latest Form

Liverpool's boss must have recognized the contrast of the player's first goal against the opponent recently. Drilled first time with the exterior of his left foot inside the close post, his eighth goal of the national team's qualifying effort originated from an very similar position to his expensive error in the Chelsea match before the national team pause.

Had that shot with his right been converted moments after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's maiden excellent assist in the league. Inquests into his drop and Liverpool's infrequent losing run might as well have been postponed. Instead, Wirtz's search persists while Slot broods over a third consecutive away defeat, two due to late goals and one the result of a disputed penalty. Small margins, as Slot emphasized on Friday, but they do not camouflage bigger issues.

Last Season's Influence

The forward was instrumental in pushing Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th crown last season while doubt over his future rumbled in the backdrop. “We brought almost the utmost out of Mo this season,” said Slot when his main attacker signed an extension in April. There has been a noticeable decrease on an individual and collective level from then. The team, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Performance Decrease

The 33-year-old's output in terms of scores and setups is lower 50% on the corresponding point last season, from a combined eight in the initial seven matches of last season to four (a pair of goals and two assists) this season. His tally of attempts has fallen from 22 to twelve while efforts on goal have fallen from fifteen to five, causing a significant drop in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, statistics show.

A particular skill that has stayed stable is Salah's chance creation. With twelve key passes, versus 14 at the equivalent point of the previous season, his stats are among the best in Europe and up in the group of young talents and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by 15 and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Display

Metrics of team performance will worry Slot additionally. He had 76 contacts in the opposition penalty area in the initial seven matches of the previous term. The current campaign's tally is 39. These figures are symptomatic of the squad's problems overall. Just Manchester United and the Gunners have tried more attempts on goal than Liverpool in the current term, but Liverpool's proportion of attempts from inside the goal area is the smallest in the division, their share from outside the area among the highest. The club's proportion of shots on target – 28.4% – is also among the poorest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we mainly found the net from a moment of magic from a forward and in the later stage it was more from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “This season we lack as many moments of genius and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from open play generates the most expected goals opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not beating opponents in the manner Slot imagined when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were signed in the offseason, though Liverpool are the division's equal third-top scorers. A tie on Sunday would be enough for Slot to attain the century of points in less games than any boss in the club's history (forty-six). Imagine what his attack will do when it finally gels. Liverpool are still a squad of supreme talent, capable of igniting and catching any opponent for the title, but synergy is lacking. This can not be blamed on the summer recruits alone.

Individual and Collective Challenges

The player is not the only senior player to experience a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister returning to form and the defender laboring. But he finds himself at the core of the disruption that has recently affected the club. That extends to a individual level, with Salah's sadness over the passing of Jota evident on that emotional season opener against Bournemouth. The effect of Jota's tragedy can not be measured nor dismissed.

Tactical Changes

In the prior campaign, he