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It has been some time, but Liverpool's forward returned taking on the lead part last week with two goals in Morocco that sealed Egypt's place at the global tournament. The star stepping on the spotlight another time. The Reds need him to stay there.

Reasons for Inconsistent Displays

There are numerous reasons why unsteady, unimpressive displays have been the recurring theme running through the team's beginning to their title defence, if they recorded seven straight victories or, before the Red Devils' trip to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, a losing run. The upheaval from numerous summer changes, Arne Slot's quest for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's loss; Salah has felt the consequences of them all during his unusually low-key opening to the campaign.

Sunday's Big Match

The weekend's key fixture could deliver the catalyst for the cause of a record 16 scores in 17 appearances for the club against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th visit to the stadium and have not triumphed at their fierce rivals for almost a decade. Salah will pose Slot with another surprise issue, though, should he stay lost in the disruption indefinitely.

Recent Display

The team's boss must have noticed the irony of the player's opening strike against the opponent last Wednesday. Drilled directly with the outside of his stronger foot inside the front post, Salah's eighth strike of Egypt's qualification run originated from an very similar location to his big mistake in the Chelsea match before the break for internationals.

Had that shot with his right been converted shortly after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would even now be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first sublime assist in the English top flight. Discussions into his decline and Liverpool's unusual losing streak might also have been delayed. Rather, Wirtz's wait goes on while the coach broods over a third consecutive away defeat, a couple inflicted by dying-minute strikes and another the outcome of a debatable penalty. Fine lines, as Slot repeated on recently, but they cannot hide larger problems.

Last Season's Contribution

Salah was key in pushing the side towards a record-equalling 20th championship last season while doubt over his future rumbled in the backdrop. We achieved almost the utmost out of Mo last term,” said Slot when his top scorer signed a new two‑year contract in April. We have seen a noticeable drop-off on an personal and team level since. The team, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Statistical Decline

His output in terms of goals and setups is lower 50% on the same point last season, from a combined 8 in the opening seven matches of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this term. The count of attempts has fallen from twenty-two to 12 while accurate shots have declined from 15 to 5, leading to a significant decline in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, data show.

One attribute that has held more steady is Salah's playmaking. With 12 opportunities made, compared with fourteen at the comparable period of last term, his stats stay among the top in the continent and comparable in the company of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by 15 and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Output

Measures of team output will worry Slot further. He had seventy-six touches in the opposition penalty area in the initial seven league games of last season. This term's tally is thirty-nine. These figures are symptomatic of the team's difficulties in general. Just Manchester United and the Gunners have attempted a greater number of shots on goal than them in the current term, but Liverpool's rate of shots from within the six-yard area is the lowest in the top flight, their share from distance among the highest. Liverpool's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – is as well among the lowest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we mainly found the net from a moment of magic from one of our front three and in the later stage it was mostly from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Now we have not seen as numerous sparks of quality and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are nonetheless the team that from open play generates the highest quality opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They are not punishing foes in the manner Slot planned when Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were acquired this summer, though Liverpool stay the league's third-best scorers. A tie on Sunday would be enough for Slot to reach the 100-point mark in fewer games than any manager in Liverpool's history (46). Think what his attack will do when it does settle. Liverpool are still a squad of exceptional skill, capable of igniting and chasing any opponent for the championship, but synergy is absent. This can not be blamed on the new signings only.

Individual and Team Challenges

Salah is not the only key player to suffer a dip, with the midfielder working his way back to form and Ibrahima Konaté struggling. But he finds himself at the heart of the upheaval that has lately engulfed Liverpool. That goes to a personal level, with his sorrow over the death of Diogo Jota obvious on that emotional first game against the Cherries. The effect of Jota's loss can not be assessed nor dismissed.

Tactical Shifts

Last season, he