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It's been some time, but Mohamed Salah was back playing the lead part last week with a brace in Morocco that secured the Egyptian team's spot at the 2026 World Cup. The main man claiming center stage yet again. The Reds must have him to keep that position.

Reasons for Inconsistent Performances

We see several factors why inconsistent, unconvincing showings have been the frequent pattern defining the team's beginning to their league defense, whether they recorded seven wins in a row or, prior to the Red Devils' trip to Anfield on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The upheaval from numerous summer changes, the coach's quest for his ideal lineup, the late forward's tragic death; the winger has felt the effect of them all during his uncharacteristically quiet opening to the term.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's big match could deliver the spark for the source of a record 16 scores in 17 games for the club against United, who are paying their centenary trip to Anfield and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for almost a decade. The attacker will present Slot with an additional unforeseen dilemma, though, should he remain lost in the disruption indefinitely.

Recent Performance

Liverpool's boss must have seen the irony of the player's initial score against the opponent recently. Swept first time with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the near post, his eighth score of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an very similar position to his expensive error in the Chelsea match prior to the break for internationals.

If that right-foot effort been finished shortly after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating the new signing's first superb setup in the English top flight. Analyses into his decline and Liverpool's unusual losing run might as well have been delayed. Rather, Wirtz's search continues while Slot stews over a third consecutive loss on the road, two caused by dying-minute strikes and another the outcome of a disputed penalty. Narrow differences, as Slot repeated on recently, but they cannot hide larger problems.

Last Season's Influence

Salah was key in pushing the side towards a historic 20th league title the previous term while doubt over his long-term plans persisted in the background. We extracted nearly the best out of Mo last term,” said the manager when his top scorer signed an extension in the spring. We have seen a noticeable decline on an individual and team level since. The team, not the terms of a contract, are to blame.

Statistical Drop

His output in terms of goals and assists is reduced half on the corresponding stage the prior campaign, from a total eight in the opening seven league games of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) this season. The count of shots has decreased from twenty-two to 12 while accurate shots have fallen from fifteen to 5, contributing to a sharp drop in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, figures show.

A single trait that has remained consistent is his chance creation. With twelve chances created, versus 14 at the same stage of last term, his numbers stay among the best in Europe and up in the group of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years each.

Collective Output

Metrics of team output will concern the coach further. Salah had seventy-six touches in the opposition penalty area in the opening seven matches of the previous term. This season's count is thirty-nine. These figures are reflective of the team's difficulties as a whole. Only Manchester United and the Gunners have taken more attempts on goal than them in the current term, but Liverpool's percentage of attempts from inside the six-yard box is the poorest in the Premier League, their percentage from distance among the top. Liverpool's proportion of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is also among the poorest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we mostly scored from a special moment from one of our front three and in the second half it was mostly from a set piece,” Slot said. “Now we have not seen as many sparks of quality and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the side that from open play generates the most xG chances.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not beating opponents in the fashion the coach envisaged when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired recently, while the team remain the division's joint third-highest scorers. A tie on the weekend would be enough for Slot to attain the 100-point total in fewer games than any boss in Liverpool's past (46). Imagine what his offense will do when it clicks. Liverpool remain a team of exceptional individual quality, capable of sparking and reeling in any rival for the title, but synergy is missing. This cannot be blamed on the summer recruits by themselves.

Individual and Team Problems

Salah is not the sole senior member to suffer a decline, with the midfielder working his way back to match sharpness and Ibrahima Konaté laboring. But he finds himself at the core of the disruption that has recently engulfed Liverpool. This goes to a personal level, with his sorrow over the death of Jota evident on that emotional opening night against the Cherries. The influence of his tragedy can not be quantified nor overlooked.

Tactical Shifts

In the prior campaign, he