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It has been a period, but Mohamed Salah reappeared playing the starring role recently with two goals in Casablanca that sealed the Egyptian team's position at the global tournament. The main man claiming center stage once more. The Merseyside club need him to keep that position.

Reasons for Inconsistent Performances

There are many factors why variable, unconvincing displays have been the recurring theme defining Liverpool's beginning to their title defence, whether they recorded seven wins in a row or, prior to the Red Devils' trip to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The disruption from multiple new signings, Arne Slot's search for his top team, the late forward's tragic death; the winger has experienced the consequences of them all during his unusually subdued opening to the campaign.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's key fixture could offer the spark for the source of a impressive 16 strikes in 17 outings for Liverpool against United, who are making their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not succeeded at their fierce rivals for more than nine years. Salah will create Slot with an additional unforeseen dilemma, yet, if he continue caught in the turmoil for an extended period.

Latest Form

The team's manager likely noticed the paradox of the player's initial score against Djibouti recently. Drilled first time with the outside of his left foot inside the near post, Salah's eighth strike of Egypt's qualification run was from an nearly the same location to his expensive error against Chelsea prior to the break for internationals.

Had that shot with his right been scored shortly after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would still be eulogising Florian Wirtz's maiden sublime pass in the English top flight. Inquests into Salah's dip and the team's infrequent losing streak might also have been delayed. Instead, Wirtz's search goes on while the coach fumes over a third away defeat, a couple caused by last-minute winners and another the result of a debatable penalty. Small margins, as Slot emphasized on recently, but they cannot hide bigger issues.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

The forward was crucial in pushing Liverpool towards a historic 20th championship the previous term while uncertainty over his career rumbled in the background. We achieved nearly the best out of Salah this season,” said Slot when his leading striker signed an extension in the spring. There has been a clear decline on an personal and collective level from then. The squad, not the terms of a deal, are responsible.

Statistical Decline

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of scores and setups is down 50% on the same point last season, from a combined eight in the initial seven league games of last season to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this term. The count of shots has dropped from twenty-two to 12 while accurate shots have declined from fifteen to five, leading to a sharp fall in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, figures show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is his playmaking. With twelve key passes, versus 14 at the same stage of the previous season, his numbers remain among the finest in the continent and up in the ranks of young talents and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by fifteen and thirteen years each.

Collective Output

Metrics of collective display will trouble the coach further. Salah had 76 contacts in the enemy penalty area in the opening seven fixtures of the prior campaign. The current campaign's total is thirty-nine. The stats are indicative of the team's difficulties overall. Just United and the Gunners have tried a greater number of shots on goal than them now, but Liverpool's percentage of shots from inside the six-yard area is the lowest in the top flight, their ratio from long range among the greatest. The club's percentage of shots on target – 28.4 percent – is also among the poorest in the league.

“In the first half of last season we mainly scored from a special moment from an attacker and in the second half it was more from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Now we have not seen as numerous sparks of quality and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the team that from live action creates the most quality opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't punishing opponents in the manner the coach planned when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were signed recently, while the team stay the league's joint third-highest goalscorers. A tie on the weekend would be enough for Slot to attain the 100-point total in less games than any manager in Liverpool's past (46). Imagine what his forward line will do when it does settle. Liverpool remain a squad of exceptional talent, capable of starting and reeling in any foe for the title, but unity is missing. This cannot be blamed on the summer recruits by themselves.

Personal and Team Challenges

The player is not the only senior player to suffer a decline, with the midfielder regaining to form and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he finds himself at the core of the disruption that has lately enveloped the club. This extends to a individual level, with Salah's grief over the death of Jota clear on that heartfelt first game against Bournemouth. The influence of Jota's loss can neither be assessed nor dismissed.

Strategic Adjustments

Previously, he