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It has been a while, but the Egyptian star returned assuming the starring role last week with two goals in Casablanca that secured Egypt's place at the global tournament. The key player taking the spotlight once more. The Reds require him to stay there.

Reasons for Inconsistent Displays

There are numerous factors why variable, unimpressive showings have been the common thread characterizing Liverpool's start to their championship defense, if they recorded seven straight victories or, before Manchester United's arrival to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three losses in a row. The disruption from so many summer changes, the coach's quest for his ideal lineup, the late forward's loss; Salah has endured the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key opening to the campaign.

The Weekend's Key Fixture

The weekend's showpiece occasion could provide the impetus for the cause of a record 16 goals in 17 games for the club against Manchester United, who are making their centenary trip to the stadium and have not won at their fierce rivals for almost a decade. Salah will create Slot with an additional surprise issue, though, if he stay caught in the upheaval much longer.

Current Form

The team's boss must have seen the irony of Salah's initial score against Djibouti last Wednesday. Struck directly with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the close post, his eighth goal of Egypt's qualification run was from an nearly the same spot to his costly miss versus Chelsea before the international break.

If that shot with his right been converted moments after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would even now be praising the new signing's maiden excellent pass in the league. Analyses into Salah's drop and the team's rare losing run might also have been delayed. Instead, Wirtz's search persists while the coach stews over a third consecutive defeat away, two inflicted by dying-minute strikes and another the result of a disputed penalty. Narrow differences, as he emphasized on Friday, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Last Season's Impact

The forward was crucial in driving Liverpool towards a historic 20th league title the previous term while uncertainty over his future rumbled in the backdrop. We achieved almost the utmost out of Salah this season,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in April. We have seen a obvious drop-off on an individual and collective level from then. The team, not the terms of a deal, are accountable.

Statistical Decrease

His production in terms of goals and setups is down 50% on the corresponding stage the prior campaign, from a combined eight in the opening seven matches of last season to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this season. His number of shots has dropped from 22 to 12 while accurate shots have declined from 15 to 5, contributing to a steep drop in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, data show.

One attribute that has stayed stable is Salah's creativity. With twelve chances created, against fourteen at the comparable period of last term, his numbers remain among the top in the continent and comparable in the company of young talents and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years each.

Team Performance

Indicators of collective performance will worry the coach more. He had 76 touches in the enemy box in the initial seven fixtures of last season. This term's count is thirty-nine. The numbers are symptomatic of the team's problems in general. Just United and the Gunners have tried more attempts on goal than them now, but Liverpool's proportion of shots from inside the goal area is the poorest in the top flight, their share from outside the area among the top. The club's proportion of shots on target – 28.4 percent – is also among the lowest in the league.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mostly scored from an individual brilliance from one of our front three and in the later stage it was more from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “This season we haven’t had as numerous moments of genius and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from general play creates the most expected goals opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't beating foes in the fashion the coach envisaged when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were acquired this summer, although Liverpool remain the division's third-best scorers. A draw on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to reach the 100-point total in fewer games than any boss in Liverpool's history (46). Think what his attack will do when it clicks. The side remain a team of exceptional talent, able to sparking and catching any foe for the championship, but cohesion is absent. This cannot be pinned on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Team Challenges

Salah is not the sole key member to experience a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to match sharpness and Ibrahima Konaté struggling. But he is at the core of the disruption that has recently affected the club. That applies to a individual level, with Salah's grief over the passing of Jota clear on that emotional first game against the Cherries. The impact of Jota's tragedy can not be measured nor ignored.

Tactical Shifts

Last season, he