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It has been some time, but Liverpool's forward was back taking on the main part in recent days with a double in Morocco that secured Egypt's position at the global tournament. The main man taking the spotlight once more. The Merseyside club must have him to stay there.

Factors for Unsteady Showings

We see numerous causes why inconsistent, lackluster performances have been the recurring theme running through the team's beginning to their league defense, whether they produced a winning streak or, prior to Manchester United's arrival to Anfield on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The disruption from so many summer changes, Arne Slot's quest for his ideal lineup, the late forward's tragic death; the winger has endured the effect of them all during his uncharacteristically subdued start to the term.

Sunday's Big Match

Sunday's showpiece occasion could provide the catalyst for the origin of a impressive 16 strikes in 17 outings for Liverpool against United, who are paying their centenary trip to the stadium and have not won at their archrivals for over nine years. Salah will create the manager with another surprise issue, though, if he remain caught in the upheaval indefinitely.

Recent Display

Liverpool's boss must have noticed the contrast of Salah's opening strike against the opponent in midweek. Struck immediately with the outside of his left foot inside the near post, his eighth goal of the national team's qualification run originated from an nearly the same spot to his expensive error against Chelsea prior to the international break.

Had that right-foot effort been scored shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first superb pass in the English top flight. Discussions into his dip and Liverpool's unusual losing streak might also have been postponed. Rather, Wirtz's search persists while Slot fumes over a third defeat away, two inflicted by dying-minute strikes and another the result of a disputed penalty. Fine lines, as Slot reiterated on Friday, but they cannot hide bigger issues.

Last Season's Contribution

Salah was key in propelling Liverpool towards a tying 20th crown the previous term while speculation over his future rumbled in the backdrop. We extracted nearly the maximum out of Mo that campaign,” said Slot when his main attacker signed a fresh deal in the spring. We have seen a clear decrease on an individual and team level since. The lineup, not the details of a contract, are responsible.

Statistical Decline

The 33-year-old's output in terms of scores and assists is lower 50% on the corresponding stage the previous term, from a total eight in the opening seven league games of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) the current campaign. The count of shots has fallen from 22 to 12 while shots on target have dropped from 15 to five, contributing to a sharp fall in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.

A single trait that has held more steady is his creativity. With twelve chances created, versus fourteen at the comparable period of last term, his stats stay among the finest in the continent and comparable in the company of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years each.

Collective Output

Metrics of team output will worry Slot further. Salah had seventy-six contacts in the enemy box in the initial seven fixtures of the prior campaign. This season's tally is 39. These figures are indicative of the squad's difficulties as a whole. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have attempted more attempts on goal than Liverpool now, but Liverpool's rate of shots from within the six-yard box is the poorest in the division, their percentage from long range among the top. The club's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is as well among the lowest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we mostly found the net from a special moment from one of our front three and in the later stage it was more from a set piece,” Slot said. “Currently we have not seen as numerous moments of genius and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from live action produces the highest xG chances.”

Recent Additions

They aren't punishing opponents in the way the coach planned when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were brought on board this summer, though the team stay the league's joint third-highest scorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for Slot to attain the century of points in less games than any manager in the club's history (forty-six). Think what his offense will do when it does settle. The side are still a squad of supreme individual quality, capable of sparking and reeling in any rival for the championship, but synergy is missing. This can not be pinned on the new signings by themselves.

Individual and Collective Issues

Salah is not the sole key player to suffer a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to match sharpness and the defender toiling. But he ends up at the center of the upheaval that has lately affected the club. That goes to a personal level, with Salah's sadness over the death of Jota clear on that poignant opening night against Bournemouth. The effect of his loss can not be measured nor dismissed.

Strategic Changes

Last season, he