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It has been a while, but Mohamed Salah was back playing the starring role in recent days with a double in Morocco that secured Egypt's position at the upcoming World Cup. The main man claiming center stage yet again. The Reds need him to stay there.

Causes for Unsteady Performances

There are several reasons why unsteady, lackluster performances have been the common thread running through Liverpool's start to their championship defense, if they produced a winning streak or, prior to the Red Devils' visit to Anfield on Sunday, a losing run. The turmoil from so many offseason moves, Arne Slot's hunt for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's passing; the winger has felt the impact of them all during his atypically subdued beginning to the campaign.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

The weekend's key fixture could deliver the spark for the origin of a impressive 16 goals in 17 appearances for the club against United, who are paying their centenary trip to Anfield and have not won at their biggest foes for almost a decade. The attacker will present the manager with a further surprise issue, however, if he continue caught in the upheaval for an extended period.

Current Display

The team's manager must have seen the contrast of the player's initial score against Djibouti recently. Drilled directly with the exterior of his left foot inside the close post, Salah's eighth strike of Egypt's qualifying effort came from an very similar location to his expensive error versus Chelsea before the national team pause.

Had that attempt been scored moments after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's maiden superb assist in the Premier League. Inquests into Salah's decline and Liverpool's unusual losing run might also have been postponed. Rather, Wirtz's search persists while Slot fumes over a third consecutive away defeat, two inflicted by last-minute winners and one the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as Slot reiterated on Friday, but they cannot hide bigger issues.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

The forward was crucial in pushing the side towards a tying 20th championship the previous term while doubt over his career persisted in the backdrop. We extracted nearly the maximum out of Mo this season,” said the manager when his top scorer signed an extension in April. We have seen a noticeable decrease on an individual and team level since. The squad, not the details of a contract, are accountable.

Performance Decline

His output in terms of scores and setups is lower half on the corresponding stage the prior campaign, from a total 8 in the opening seven fixtures of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this season. His tally of attempts has dropped from twenty-two to twelve while accurate shots have declined from fifteen to five, leading to a sharp fall in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.

One attribute that has remained consistent is Salah's chance creation. With twelve opportunities made, compared with fourteen at the same stage of last campaign, his stats are among the top in Europe and comparable in the company of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Performance

Indicators of collective output will worry the coach additionally. Salah had seventy-six contacts in the enemy box in the first seven matches of the prior campaign. The current campaign's count is thirty-nine. The numbers are reflective of the team's difficulties overall. Only Manchester United and Arsenal have tried a greater number of attempts on goal than Liverpool now, but Liverpool's percentage of attempts from inside the goal area is the smallest in the Premier League, their share from distance among the greatest. Liverpool's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4% – is as well among the lowest in the competition.

During the initial phase of the previous campaign we mainly found the net from a moment of magic from one of our front three and in the later stage it was more from a dead ball,” the manager said. “This season we have not seen as many acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the team that from live action creates the most expected goals opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't beating foes in the fashion Slot planned when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were signed in the offseason, while the team remain the division's equal third-top scorers. A tie on Sunday would be enough for him to achieve the 100-point mark in fewer games than any boss in the club's past (46). Consider what his forward line will do when it does settle. Liverpool are still a team of outstanding skill, able to igniting and chasing any foe for the title, but unity is absent. That cannot be pinned on the summer recruits by themselves.

Personal and Team Challenges

Salah is not the only senior member to suffer a drop-off, with the midfielder regaining to form and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he finds himself at the heart of the turmoil that has of late affected the club. That applies to a individual level, with his grief over the passing of Jota obvious on that heartfelt first game against the Cherries. The effect of Jota's death can neither be quantified nor ignored.

Tactical Adjustments

Previously, he