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It has been a period, but Liverpool's forward returned taking on the starring role last week with two goals in Casablanca that sealed the Egyptian team's spot at the global tournament. The star taking the spotlight another time. Liverpool must have him to stay there.

Causes for Variable Showings

We see several causes why variable, unimpressive showings have been the common thread characterizing Liverpool's start to their league defense, whether they recorded seven straight victories or, before Manchester United's trip to Anfield on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The turmoil from numerous new signings, Arne Slot's quest for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's loss; Salah has endured the impact of them all during his uncharacteristically subdued start to the term.

The Weekend's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's big match could deliver the impetus for the cause of a record 16 scores in 17 appearances for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are making their 100th visit to the stadium and have not succeeded at their biggest foes for almost a decade. The attacker will present the manager with another unexpected problem, however, should he continue caught in the turmoil much longer.

Current Performance

Liverpool's head coach must have noticed the paradox of Salah's first goal against the opponent recently. Struck immediately with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the front post, his eighth strike of the national team's qualifying effort came from an nearly the same spot to his expensive error against Chelsea before the national team pause.

If that right-foot effort been converted moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would even now be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first superb assist in the English top flight. Discussions into Salah's dip and Liverpool's rare losing streak might also have been delayed. Instead, the midfielder's search persists while the coach stews over a third loss on the road, two inflicted by late goals and another the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as he reiterated on Friday, but they do not mask larger problems.

Last Season's Contribution

The forward was crucial in pushing the side towards a historic 20th league title last season while doubt over his career persisted in the backdrop. “We brought nearly the maximum out of Mo that campaign,” said the manager when his leading striker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. There has been a noticeable decline on an individual and team level since. The squad, not the terms of a deal, are accountable.

Statistical Decrease

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of scores and setups is lower 50% on the corresponding point the previous term, from a total eight in the initial seven league games of 2024-25 to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this term. His number of shots has decreased from 22 to twelve while shots on target have dropped from 15 to 5, causing a steep decline in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, figures show.

A single trait that has held more steady is his playmaking. With twelve key passes, versus fourteen at the same stage of last campaign, his figures stay among the finest in the continent and comparable in the company of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his younger counterparts by 15 and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Output

Metrics of team output will trouble Slot more. He had 76 touches in the enemy penalty area in the opening seven matches of last season. The current campaign's tally is 39. The numbers are symptomatic of the squad's difficulties overall. Only Manchester United and Arsenal have taken a greater number of shots on goal than them this season, but Liverpool's rate of attempts from within the six-yard area is the poorest in the Premier League, their percentage from distance among the top. The club's percentage of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – is also among the lowest in the league.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mainly found the net from an individual brilliance from an attacker and in the later stage it was more from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Currently we haven’t had as numerous sparks of quality and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are still the side that from general play creates the highest quality opportunities.”

New Signings

They are not punishing foes in the manner the coach imagined when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were signed recently, although the team are the league's equal third-top scorers. A tie on the weekend would be enough for Slot to achieve the 100-point total in less games than any manager in Liverpool's history (46). Consider what his offense will do when it clicks. Liverpool are still a squad of outstanding individual quality, able to starting and chasing any opponent for the championship, but unity is missing. That can not be pinned on the new signings by themselves.

Individual and Team Issues

Salah is not the sole established member to experience a decline, with Alexis Mac Allister regaining to form and the defender toiling. But he is at the center of the disruption that has lately engulfed Liverpool. That applies to a personal level, with his grief over the loss of Jota clear on that poignant opening night against Bournemouth. The impact of his death can not be measured nor overlooked.

Tactical Adjustments

Last season, he