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It's been a while, but Mohamed Salah reappeared taking on the starring role last week with two goals in Casablanca that sealed Egypt's place at the upcoming World Cup. The star taking the spotlight another time. The Merseyside club need him to stay there.

Factors for Variable Showings

There are many causes why unsteady, unimpressive performances have been the recurring theme characterizing Liverpool's start to their title defence, whether they recorded seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Anfield on the weekend, a losing run. The turmoil from multiple offseason moves, Arne Slot's search for his best XI, the late forward's loss; Salah has endured the effect of them all during his uncharacteristically quiet start to the campaign.

The Weekend's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's key fixture could offer the spark for the origin of a record 16 strikes in 17 appearances for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are paying their centenary trip to the stadium and have not triumphed at their archrivals for more than nine years. Salah will create the manager with an additional surprise issue, however, should he stay lost in the disruption for an extended period.

Latest Display

Liverpool's boss must have recognized the contrast of the player's first goal against the opponent recently. Swept directly with the outside of his left foot inside the front post, Salah's eighth strike of the national team's qualification run came from an almost identical spot to his expensive error against Chelsea before the break for internationals.

Had that right-foot effort been finished shortly after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would even now be eulogising Florian Wirtz's maiden excellent setup in the Premier League. Discussions into Salah's decline and Liverpool's unusual losing streak might also have been avoided. Instead, the midfielder's search continues while the coach stews over a third loss on the road, a couple due to last-minute winners and one the outcome of a disputed penalty. Fine lines, as Slot emphasized on recently, but they do not camouflage bigger issues.

Last Season's Influence

Salah was crucial in pushing the side towards a record-equalling 20th championship the prior campaign while speculation over his future rumbled in the backdrop. We extracted nearly the best out of Mo last term,” said Slot when his leading striker signed an extension in the spring. We have seen a obvious decrease on an individual and collective level since. The team, not the details of a contract, are to blame.

Statistical Drop

The 33-year-old's production in terms of goals and assists is lower 50% on the same stage the previous term, from a total eight in the first seven fixtures of last season to 4 (two goals and two assists) this season. The count of attempts has fallen from twenty-two to twelve while accurate shots have fallen from 15 to 5, leading to a sharp fall in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, statistics show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is his chance creation. With 12 key passes, versus fourteen at the comparable period of the previous season, his stats stay among the top in the continent and up in the ranks of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his juniors by 15 and thirteen years respectively.

Team Performance

Indicators of team output will trouble the coach additionally. Salah had 76 touches in the enemy box in the initial seven league games of the previous term. This season's tally is 39. The stats are reflective of the squad's difficulties as a whole. Just United and the Gunners have attempted more attempts on goal than Liverpool this season, but the team's proportion of shots from within the six-yard box is the poorest in the division, their ratio from distance among the greatest. Liverpool's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is also among the lowest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we mainly scored from a moment of magic from a forward and in the later stage it was mostly from a set piece,” the manager said. “Currently we lack as many moments of genius and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the side that from live action produces the most xG chances.”

New Signings

They aren't punishing foes in the manner Slot planned when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were signed this summer, while the team remain the league's equal third-top scorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for him to reach the 100-point total in fewer games than any boss in the club's history (46). Imagine what his offense will do when it finally gels. The side remain a team of outstanding skill, equipped to igniting and catching any foe for the title, but cohesion is lacking. That cannot be pinned on the summer recruits only.

Personal and Team Challenges

Salah is not the sole key player to suffer a decline, with the midfielder regaining to form and the defender toiling. But he is at the heart of the upheaval that has of late affected the club. This goes to a individual level, with Salah's sadness over the death of Diogo Jota clear on that poignant season opener against the Cherries. The impact of his loss can neither be quantified nor dismissed.

Strategic Shifts

Last season, he