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It's been a period, but Mohamed Salah was back taking on the starring role in recent days with two goals in Casablanca that secured the Egyptian team's position at the global tournament. The star stepping on the spotlight another time. The Merseyside club require him to stay there.

Causes for Inconsistent Displays

There exist numerous factors why inconsistent, unconvincing performances have been the recurring theme characterizing the team's opening to their league defense, if they achieved seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's arrival to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The turmoil from numerous new signings, the coach's search for his best XI, the late forward's passing; Salah has endured the consequences of them all during his atypically low-key beginning to the season.

Sunday's Key Fixture

The weekend's showpiece occasion could provide the spark for the cause of a impressive 16 scores in 17 outings for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for almost a decade. Salah will create the manager with a further unexpected problem, though, if he stay caught in the disruption indefinitely.

Recent Display

The team's boss likely recognized the contrast of Salah's first goal against the opponent last Wednesday. Struck first time with the exterior of his stronger foot inside the near post, his eighth goal of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign was from an nearly the same spot to his big mistake versus Chelsea prior to the international break.

Had that attempt been scored shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's first superb assist in the league. Analyses into Salah's drop and Liverpool's infrequent losing streak might also have been delayed. Rather, Wirtz's wait continues while the coach fumes over a third defeat away, a couple inflicted by last-minute winners and one the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Small margins, as he reiterated on Friday, but they cannot hide larger problems.

Last Season's Contribution

The forward was crucial in driving Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th crown last season while speculation over his future lingered in the background. “We brought nearly the maximum out of Salah that campaign,” said Slot when his top scorer signed an extension in April. There has been a obvious decline on an personal and team level from then. The team, not the details of a contract, are responsible.

Statistical Drop

The 33-year-old's production in terms of scores and assists is reduced 50% on the same point last season, from a combined eight in the initial seven matches of last season to 4 (two goals and two assists) the current campaign. His number of attempts has dropped from twenty-two to 12 while efforts on goal have fallen from fifteen to 5, contributing to a steep decline in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.

One attribute that has held more steady is Salah's creativity. With 12 opportunities made, compared with 14 at the equivalent point of last term, his numbers are among the top in Europe and up in the group of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his juniors by 15 and 13 years respectively.

Collective Display

Indicators of team display will concern the coach further. Salah had 76 contacts in the opposition box in the initial seven matches of the prior campaign. This term's count is 39. The numbers are symptomatic of the team's problems overall. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have taken more shots on goal than them in the current term, but the team's rate of attempts from within the six-yard area is the lowest in the top flight, their ratio from outside the area among the highest. Liverpool's percentage of accurate shots – 28.4% – is also among the lowest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we primarily scored from a moment of magic from an attacker and in the second half it was more from a set piece,” Slot said. “Now we haven’t had as numerous moments of genius and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the side that from open play creates the highest expected goals opportunities.”

New Signings

They are not beating rivals in the way the coach imagined when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were signed recently, though Liverpool are the division's third-best scorers. A tie on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to reach the century of points in less games than any manager in the club's past (46). Consider what his attack will do when it does settle. Liverpool remain a team of outstanding individual quality, capable of starting and catching any foe for the championship, but cohesion is missing. This can not be blamed on the new signings only.

Individual and Collective Problems

Salah is not the only senior member to suffer a drop-off, with the midfielder working his way back to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he ends up at the heart of the turmoil that has lately engulfed the club. That applies to a personal level, with his sadness over the passing of Jota obvious on that emotional season opener against Bournemouth. The influence of Jota's tragedy can neither be assessed nor overlooked.

Tactical Adjustments

In the prior campaign, he