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It has been a while, but Liverpool's forward returned taking on the starring role recently with a double in Morocco that sealed Egypt's place at the global tournament. The key player taking the limelight yet again. Liverpool require him to remain there.

Factors for Inconsistent Displays

There exist several causes why inconsistent, unconvincing showings have been the recurring theme defining Liverpool's opening to their championship defense, whether they recorded seven wins in a row or, before Manchester United's arrival to Anfield on Sunday, a losing run. The disruption from multiple summer changes, the coach's hunt for his best XI, Diogo Jota's loss; the winger has endured the effect of them all during his uncharacteristically quiet opening to the campaign.

The Weekend's Key Fixture

Sunday's key fixture could deliver the catalyst for the source of a record 16 goals in 17 games for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th visit to the stadium and have not succeeded at their fierce rivals for more than nine years. Salah will present the manager with a further unexpected problem, though, should he stay caught in the turmoil for an extended period.

Recent Performance

Liverpool's boss likely noticed the contrast of Salah's initial score against the opponent last Wednesday. Struck directly with the outside of his stronger foot into the near post, Salah's eighth score of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign originated from an very similar location to his costly miss in the Chelsea match before the break for internationals.

Had that attempt been converted moments after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be praising Florian Wirtz's maiden excellent assist in the Premier League. Inquests into Salah's drop and the team's infrequent losing streak might also have been delayed. Rather, the midfielder's search continues while the coach stews over a third consecutive loss on the road, a couple inflicted by late goals and one the result of a disputed penalty. Narrow differences, as he emphasized on recently, but they cannot hide larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Impact

Salah was crucial in propelling Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th league title the prior campaign while speculation over his career rumbled in the background. “We brought almost the maximum out of Mo last term,” said the manager when his main attacker 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 Decrease

The 33-year-old's production in terms of scores and assists is lower 50% on the same stage the prior campaign, from a combined eight in the opening seven league games of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) this season. His number of shots has decreased from 22 to 12 while efforts on goal have fallen from 15 to five, causing a steep decline in shooting accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.

One attribute that has held more steady is his playmaking. With twelve key passes, versus fourteen at the same stage of the previous season, his stats stay among the top in Europe and up in the company of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his younger counterparts by 15 and thirteen years each.

Collective Display

Metrics of collective performance will concern the coach further. Salah had seventy-six contacts in the enemy box in the initial seven matches of last season. This term's count is thirty-nine. These figures are indicative of the team's difficulties as a whole. Just United and the Gunners have taken a greater number of shots on goal than Liverpool this season, but the team's proportion of shots from within the six-yard area is the poorest in the division, their share from long range among the highest. The club's proportion of shots on target – 28.4 percent – is as well among the poorest in the league.

“In the first half of last season we mostly found the net from an individual brilliance from one of our front three and in the later stage it was mostly from a set piece,” Slot said. “Now we lack as many moments of genius and we haven’t scored from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the team that from general play creates the highest quality opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They are not punishing foes in the manner Slot imagined when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were signed recently, although Liverpool remain the division's third-best scorers. A draw on the weekend would be sufficient for Slot to reach the 100-point mark in less games than any boss in the club's past (46). Consider what his attack will do when it clicks. Liverpool are still a squad of supreme individual quality, able to sparking and reeling in any rival for the title, but cohesion is missing. This cannot be blamed on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Team Challenges

The player is not the sole established member to suffer a decline, with Alexis Mac Allister regaining to match sharpness and the defender laboring. But he finds himself at the core of the disruption that has recently affected Liverpool. That goes to a individual level, with Salah's sorrow over the passing of Jota obvious on that poignant first game against Bournemouth. The effect of Jota's death can not be measured nor ignored.

Tactical Changes

Last season, he