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It's been a period, but Mohamed Salah returned taking on the starring role recently with a double in Casablanca that confirmed Egypt's position at the global tournament. The main man claiming the limelight yet again. The Merseyside club must have him to remain there.

Causes for Unsteady Showings

We see numerous reasons why variable, unconvincing showings have been the frequent pattern characterizing the team's start to their title defence, whether they recorded seven straight victories or, before Manchester United's visit to Anfield on Sunday, three losses in a row. The disruption from multiple offseason moves, Arne Slot's quest for his best XI, the late forward's passing; Salah has experienced the impact of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key start to the season.

The Weekend's Key Fixture

The weekend's key fixture could deliver the catalyst for the origin of a record 16 goals in 17 outings for the club against United, who are making their centenary trip to Anfield and have not triumphed at their fierce rivals for over nine years. The attacker will pose Slot with another unforeseen dilemma, yet, should he stay caught in the disruption much longer.

Recent Display

Liverpool's manager must have seen the contrast of Salah's initial score against the opponent last Wednesday. Swept directly with the exterior of his left foot into the near post, his eighth score of Egypt's qualifying effort was from an very similar location to his big mistake against Chelsea before the break for internationals.

If that shot with his right been converted shortly after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would even now be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first excellent assist in the Premier League. Analyses into his dip and Liverpool's infrequent losing run might also have been postponed. Instead, Wirtz's search goes on while Slot broods over a third consecutive defeat away, two caused by last-minute winners and one the outcome of a debatable penalty. Narrow differences, as he emphasized on Friday, but they do not mask bigger issues.

Last Season's Influence

The forward was key in pushing Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th championship last season while speculation over his future lingered in the background. We extracted nearly the utmost out of Mo last term,” said the manager when his top scorer signed a new two‑year contract in April. We have seen a obvious drop-off on an individual and team level since. The lineup, not the details of a deal, are to blame.

Performance Decrease

The 33-year-old's production in terms of scores and setups is reduced half on the corresponding stage the previous term, from a total 8 in the initial seven league games of last season to four (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this season. The count of shots has dropped from 22 to 12 while shots on target have fallen from fifteen to 5, leading to a significant drop in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, data show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is his creativity. With twelve opportunities made, versus fourteen at the equivalent point of last term, his numbers remain among the best in Europe and up in the ranks of young talents and rising stars, his juniors by 15 and 13 years respectively.

Team Output

Measures of team output will concern Slot additionally. He had seventy-six contacts in the opposition penalty area in the first seven fixtures of the previous term. The current campaign's tally is thirty-nine. The numbers are symptomatic of the team's difficulties as a whole. Only Manchester United and Arsenal have tried more attempts on goal than Liverpool now, but the team's percentage of attempts from inside the six-yard box is the poorest in the division, their share from distance among the highest. The club's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4% – is as well among the poorest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we mostly found the net from a moment of magic from a forward and in the later stage it was more from a set piece,” the manager said. “This season we haven’t had as numerous acts of brilliance and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the team that from live action produces the most quality opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't hurting foes in the manner Slot imagined when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were brought on board this summer, although Liverpool remain the league's joint third-highest goalscorers. A tie on Sunday would be sufficient for him to reach the 100-point mark in less games than any coach in Liverpool's past (forty-six). Consider what his attack will do when it clicks. Liverpool are still a squad of exceptional talent, capable of starting and chasing any opponent for the title, but unity is lacking. This can not be pinned on the recent arrivals alone.

Personal and Team Issues

Salah is not the sole senior player to suffer a dip, with the midfielder working his way back to form and the defender toiling. But he finds himself at the center of the disruption that has lately engulfed Liverpool. That applies to a personal level, with Salah's sadness over the loss of Diogo Jota clear on that heartfelt season opener against Bournemouth. The influence of Jota's loss can not be quantified nor ignored.

Tactical Adjustments

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