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It's been some time, but Mohamed Salah was back playing the starring role last week with two goals in Morocco that confirmed the Egyptian team's place at the upcoming World Cup. The star stepping on center stage yet again. The Merseyside club must have him to keep that position.

Reasons for Variable Showings

We see many factors why unsteady, lackluster showings have been the common thread characterizing Liverpool's opening to their championship defense, if they recorded seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The turmoil from so many summer changes, Arne Slot's quest for his ideal lineup, the late forward's loss; the winger has felt the effect of them all during his uncharacteristically subdued opening to the season.

The Weekend's Big Match

Sunday's key fixture could deliver the spark for the source of a impressive 16 strikes in 17 games for the club against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th visit to the stadium and have not succeeded at their biggest foes for more than nine years. The attacker will present Slot with a further unexpected problem, however, should he remain lost in the disruption indefinitely.

Recent Display

Liverpool's boss must have recognized the contrast of the player's first goal against Djibouti in midweek. Swept first time with the exterior of his left foot inside the front post, his eighth score of Egypt's qualification run originated from an very similar position to his big mistake versus Chelsea before the international break.

If that shot with his right been converted moments after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would even now be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first superb pass in the Premier League. Discussions into his dip and Liverpool's unusual losing streak might also have been postponed. Instead, the midfielder's wait goes on while Slot fumes over a third defeat away, a couple due to late goals and another the outcome of a disputed penalty. Narrow differences, as Slot repeated on recently, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Impact

Salah was crucial in propelling the side towards a tying 20th crown the previous term while doubt over his career lingered in the backdrop. “We brought almost the maximum out of Mo last term,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in the spring. There has been a clear drop-off on an personal and collective level since. The lineup, not the terms of a contract, are accountable.

Statistical Drop

His production in terms of goals and assists is reduced 50% on the same point the previous term, from a total 8 in the initial seven matches of last season to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this season. The count of shots has dropped from 22 to 12 while accurate shots have fallen from 15 to 5, leading to a steep decline in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, statistics show.

One attribute that has held more steady is his creativity. With twelve opportunities made, versus 14 at the comparable period of last campaign, his stats remain among the best in Europe and comparable in the ranks of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years respectively.

Team Output

Measures of collective performance will worry the coach additionally. Salah had seventy-six touches in the enemy penalty area in the opening seven league games of last season. The current campaign's total is 39. These figures are symptomatic of the team's difficulties in general. Only United and the Gunners have attempted more attempts on goal than them now, but the team's percentage of attempts from within the goal area is the smallest in the Premier League, their percentage from distance among the top. The club's rate of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is as well among the lowest in the league.

During the initial phase of the previous campaign we mostly found the net from a moment of magic from a forward and in the later stage it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Now we haven’t had as numerous sparks of quality and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are still the team that from general play generates the highest quality opportunities.”

New Signings

They are not beating rivals in the fashion the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired recently, although Liverpool remain the league's equal third-top scorers. A tie on the weekend would be sufficient for him to achieve the 100-point mark in less games than any manager in the club's past (46). Imagine what his attack will do when it does settle. The side are still a squad of outstanding talent, capable of igniting and catching any opponent for the title, but synergy is missing. This can not be attributed on the summer recruits alone.

Personal and Team Issues

Salah is not the sole senior member to suffer a decline, with Alexis Mac Allister regaining to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he finds himself at the core of the upheaval that has of late engulfed Liverpool. This goes to a personal level, with his grief over the death of Jota obvious on that emotional season opener against the Cherries. The influence of his loss can not be measured nor overlooked.

Strategic Changes

Last season, he