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It has been a period, but the Egyptian star returned playing the main part in recent days with two goals in Casablanca that sealed the Egyptian team's position at the global tournament. The main man stepping on center stage once more. Liverpool must have him to keep that position.

Reasons for Inconsistent Displays

There exist many causes why variable, unconvincing showings have been the recurring theme defining the team's opening to their championship defense, whether they produced seven straight victories or, prior to the Red Devils' visit to Anfield on Sunday, a losing run. The disruption from multiple new signings, Arne Slot's quest for his best XI, the late forward's tragic death; the winger has experienced the effect of them all during his atypically quiet start to the campaign.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

The weekend's big match could provide the catalyst for the cause of a record 16 scores in 17 games for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are making their 100th visit to the stadium and have not won at their biggest foes for more than nine years. The attacker will create Slot with an additional unforeseen dilemma, though, if he stay caught in the upheaval indefinitely.

Current Performance

Liverpool's manager must have seen the contrast of the player's opening strike against the opponent in midweek. Drilled directly with the outside of his stronger foot into the front post, his eighth goal of the national team's qualifying effort originated from an almost identical location to his expensive error in the Chelsea match before the international break.

Had that shot with his right been converted shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's maiden superb setup in the league. Discussions into his dip and the team's infrequent losing run might as well have been delayed. Rather, the midfielder's search continues while the coach broods over a third consecutive loss on the road, two due to late goals and another the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Small margins, as Slot reiterated on Friday, but they cannot hide bigger issues.

Last Season's Impact

The forward was crucial in driving the side towards a tying 20th championship last season while uncertainty over his future lingered in the background. “We brought nearly the utmost out of Salah this season,” said Slot when his top scorer signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. There has been a noticeable drop-off on an individual and collective level from then. The lineup, not the details of a contract, are accountable.

Performance Decrease

His contribution in terms of goals and assists is lower 50% on the same stage the previous term, from a total 8 in the initial seven fixtures of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this term. His number of attempts has fallen from twenty-two to twelve while accurate shots have fallen from fifteen to five, contributing to a steep fall in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, statistics show.

A single trait that has remained consistent is Salah's chance creation. With 12 chances created, compared with 14 at the equivalent point of last term, his stats remain among the top in Europe and comparable in the ranks of young talents and rising stars, his juniors by fifteen and 13 years each.

Collective Display

Measures of team display will trouble the coach additionally. Salah had seventy-six touches in the opposition penalty area in the initial seven fixtures of last season. The current campaign's total is thirty-nine. These figures are indicative of the team's problems overall. Just United and the Gunners have attempted a greater number of shots on goal than Liverpool this season, but Liverpool's percentage of shots from inside the goal area is the lowest in the Premier League, their ratio from long range among the top. Liverpool's proportion of shots on target – 28.4 percent – is also among the lowest in the competition.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mainly scored from a moment of magic from a forward and in the second half it was more from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Now we lack as many acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the side that from live action creates the highest quality opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They aren't punishing foes in the manner Slot imagined when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were brought on board this summer, while Liverpool stay the league's joint third-highest goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for Slot to achieve the 100-point total in less games than any manager in Liverpool's past (46). Think what his attack will do when it clicks. Liverpool remain a squad of supreme talent, equipped to starting and reeling in any rival for the championship, but cohesion is absent. That cannot be blamed on the new signings alone.

Personal and Collective Problems

Salah is not the sole senior player to suffer a drop-off, with the midfielder working his way back to form and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he ends up at the core of the disruption that has lately enveloped the club. This applies to a personal level, with his grief over the loss of Diogo Jota obvious on that poignant opening night against Bournemouth. The effect of his death can neither be measured nor dismissed.

Tactical Adjustments

In the prior campaign, he