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It has been a while, but Mohamed Salah was back assuming the lead part last week with two goals in Casablanca that sealed Egypt's position at the upcoming World Cup. The key player claiming center stage once more. The Merseyside club require him to remain there.

Factors for Unsteady Showings

There are several factors why variable, unconvincing showings have been the common thread characterizing the team's opening to their title defence, whether they produced a winning streak or, prior to Manchester United's arrival to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The disruption from numerous offseason moves, the coach's search for his best XI, Diogo Jota's tragic death; Salah has felt the impact of them all during his atypically quiet beginning to the season.

Sunday's Big Match

Sunday's big match could deliver the impetus for the cause of a impressive 16 goals in 17 games for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are making their centenary trip to Anfield and have not won at their biggest foes for more than nine years. The attacker will create Slot with another surprise issue, yet, if he remain caught in the turmoil much longer.

Current Form

The team's manager likely noticed the irony of the player's opening strike against Djibouti recently. Struck immediately with the exterior of his stronger foot into the close post, Salah's eighth strike of the national team's qualification run originated from an nearly the same location to his expensive error in the Chelsea match before the international break.

Had that right-foot effort been scored shortly after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be praising the new signing's maiden sublime pass in the Premier League. Analyses into Salah's decline and Liverpool's rare defeat streak might as well have been postponed. Instead, Wirtz's search continues while Slot fumes over a third defeat away, two caused by dying-minute strikes and another the result of a disputed penalty. Fine lines, as Slot emphasized on Friday, but they do not mask underlying concerns.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

The forward was instrumental in driving Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th crown the prior campaign while uncertainty over his long-term plans persisted in the backdrop. “We brought nearly the utmost out of Mo this season,” said Slot when his leading striker signed an extension in April. We have seen a obvious decrease on an personal and collective level since. The squad, not the terms of a deal, are accountable.

Performance Decline

His contribution in terms of scores and assists is reduced half on the corresponding stage the prior campaign, from a combined eight in the initial seven matches of last season to 4 (two goals and a couple of assists) this term. The count of shots has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while accurate shots have dropped from fifteen to 5, contributing to a significant drop in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, data show.

One attribute that has held more steady is Salah's creativity. With twelve key passes, versus fourteen at the comparable period of last term, his stats remain among the finest in Europe and comparable in the group of young talents and rising stars, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years each.

Team Output

Indicators of collective performance will worry the coach further. He had 76 touches in the opposition penalty area in the opening seven fixtures of last season. This season's tally is thirty-nine. These figures are symptomatic of the squad's issues as a whole. Just United and Arsenal have attempted a greater number of attempts on goal than them in the current term, but Liverpool's rate of shots from within the six-yard box is the smallest in the Premier League, their percentage from long range among the top. Liverpool's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is also among the poorest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we primarily found the net 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 acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the team that from open play creates the highest expected goals opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They aren't punishing opponents in the manner the coach imagined when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were acquired recently, though Liverpool are the division's third-best goalscorers. A tie on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to achieve the century of points in less games than any boss in Liverpool's history (46). Imagine what his offense will do when it clicks. The side are still a team of exceptional skill, capable of igniting and chasing any rival for the championship, but synergy is lacking. This can not be blamed on the recent arrivals alone.

Individual and Collective Problems

The player is not the only key member to suffer a dip, with the midfielder returning to match sharpness and the defender laboring. But he finds himself at the core of the upheaval that has recently affected the club. This goes to a individual level, with his sorrow over the passing of Jota clear on that emotional season opener against the Cherries. The impact of Jota's death can neither be quantified nor overlooked.

Strategic Changes

Previously, he