🔗 Share this article

It has been a while, but Mohamed Salah was back taking on the lead part in recent days with a brace in Casablanca that secured Egypt's position at the 2026 World Cup. The star claiming center stage another time. The Reds must have him to keep that position.

Factors for Unsteady Performances

There are many factors why unsteady, unconvincing showings have been the recurring theme running through Liverpool's beginning to their league defense, if they recorded a winning streak or, before the Red Devils' arrival to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, a losing run. The upheaval from so many offseason moves, the coach's hunt for his best XI, the late forward's tragic death; Salah has endured the effect of them all during his unusually quiet start to the season.

Sunday's Big Match

The weekend's showpiece occasion could provide the impetus for the cause of a impressive 16 goals in 17 games for Liverpool against United, who are making their centenary trip to Anfield and have not won at their archrivals for over nine years. Salah will pose Slot with a further unexpected problem, yet, should he remain caught in the disruption indefinitely.

Current Form

The team's manager must have seen the contrast of the player's opening strike against the opponent last Wednesday. Struck directly with the outside of his left foot into the near post, Salah's eighth goal of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign originated from an nearly the same spot to his expensive error against Chelsea before the international break.

If that attempt been scored moments after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would even now be celebrating the new signing's maiden sublime setup in the Premier League. Inquests into his decline and Liverpool's infrequent losing run might also have been avoided. Rather, Wirtz's wait goes on while Slot broods over a third loss on the road, a couple caused by dying-minute strikes and another the result of a debatable penalty. Fine lines, as he repeated on Friday, but they do not camouflage bigger issues.

Last Season's Contribution

Salah was instrumental in driving Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th championship the prior campaign while doubt over his future lingered in the background. “We brought nearly the best out of Salah this season,” said the manager when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in April. We have seen a noticeable decline on an personal and collective level since. The team, not the terms of a contract, are accountable.

Performance Decline

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of goals and assists is reduced 50% on the same point the prior campaign, from a total eight in the initial seven fixtures of last season to four (a pair of goals and two assists) the current campaign. His tally of shots has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while shots on target have declined from fifteen to 5, leading to a sharp decline in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, statistics show.

A particular skill that has stayed stable is his chance creation. With 12 chances created, compared with 14 at the comparable period of the previous season, his figures stay among the top in the continent and comparable in the ranks of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Output

Indicators of collective performance will worry Slot more. He had seventy-six contacts in the enemy penalty area in the initial seven fixtures of last season. This season's total is thirty-nine. The numbers are symptomatic of the squad's issues as a whole. Just United and Arsenal have taken a greater number of shots on goal than them now, but Liverpool's rate of attempts from inside the goal area is the poorest in the top flight, their share from outside the area among the greatest. The club's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is as well among the poorest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we mainly scored from an individual brilliance from an attacker and in the later stage it was more from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “This season we haven’t had as many moments of genius and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are still the team that from live action creates the most xG chances.”

New Signings

They are not punishing rivals in the manner the coach envisaged when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were brought on board this summer, though Liverpool remain the division's third-best goalscorers. A tie on Sunday would be enough for Slot to reach the 100-point mark in fewer games than any manager in the club's past (46). Imagine what his offense will do when it finally gels. The side are still a squad of exceptional skill, able to starting and reeling in any opponent for the title, but cohesion is absent. That cannot be attributed on the recent arrivals alone.

Personal and Collective Challenges

Salah is not the only senior member to experience a decline, with the midfielder returning to match sharpness and the defender toiling. But he is at the heart of the disruption that has of late enveloped Liverpool. That applies to a individual level, with Salah's grief over the passing of Jota clear on that emotional first game against Bournemouth. The impact of Jota's death can neither be assessed nor dismissed.

Tactical Shifts

Last season, he