🔗 Share this article

It has been a while, but the Egyptian star was back playing the lead part recently with a brace in Casablanca that sealed Egypt's place at the 2026 World Cup. The main man stepping on the spotlight another time. The Reds need him to keep that position.

Reasons for Variable Performances

We see many factors why unsteady, lackluster displays have been the recurring theme characterizing the team's opening to their league defense, if they produced seven straight victories or, before the Red Devils' trip to Anfield on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The turmoil from numerous new signings, Arne Slot's search for his best XI, the late forward's tragic death; the winger has felt the consequences of them all during his unusually low-key beginning to the term.

The Weekend's Key Fixture

Sunday's showpiece occasion could offer the impetus for the source of a impressive 16 strikes in 17 appearances for the club against Manchester United, who are paying their 100th appearance to the stadium and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for more than nine years. Salah will pose Slot with a further unexpected problem, however, if he continue caught in the upheaval much longer.

Latest Form

Liverpool's boss likely noticed the contrast of Salah's opening strike against Djibouti recently. Drilled directly with the exterior of his left foot into the close post, his eighth goal of Egypt's qualification run originated from an very similar location to his expensive error in the Chelsea match prior to the international break.

Had that shot with his right been finished shortly after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be eulogising Florian Wirtz's first sublime setup in the English top flight. Discussions into his decline and the team's rare losing run might as well have been postponed. Rather, the midfielder's search goes on while Slot stews over a third defeat away, two caused by late goals and another the result of a controversial spot-kick. Narrow differences, as Slot emphasized on recently, but they do not camouflage bigger issues.

Last Season's Contribution

Salah was key in propelling the side towards a record-equalling 20th league title last season while doubt over his long-term plans persisted in the background. “We brought nearly the best out of Mo that campaign,” said Slot when his top scorer signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a obvious drop-off on an personal and collective level since. The squad, not the terms of a deal, are accountable.

Statistical Decline

His contribution in terms of scores and setups is reduced half on the corresponding stage last season, from a combined 8 in the first seven fixtures of last season to four (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) the current campaign. His tally of attempts has fallen from 22 to twelve while shots on target have dropped from fifteen to 5, leading to a sharp fall in shooting accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, data show.

A particular skill that has held more steady is Salah's chance creation. With 12 key passes, compared with fourteen at the equivalent point of the previous season, his stats stay among the finest in the continent and up in the group of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and 13 years each.

Collective Display

Metrics of team display will concern Slot further. He had seventy-six contacts in the enemy box in the first seven league games of last season. This season's tally is 39. The stats are reflective of the team's problems overall. Only United and Arsenal have attempted a greater number of shots on goal than Liverpool this season, but the team's percentage of shots from within the goal area is the lowest in the top flight, their ratio from long range among the greatest. The club's rate of accurate shots – 28.4% – is as well among the weakest in the league.

During the initial phase of last season we mainly scored from a special moment from a forward and in the second half it was more from a set piece,” the manager said. “Currently we haven’t had as many sparks of quality and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the team that from general play produces the most quality opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They aren't punishing rivals in the way Slot planned when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were brought on board recently, though the team are the league's joint third-highest goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for him to attain the century of points in less games than any manager in Liverpool's history (forty-six). Consider what his offense will do when it does settle. Liverpool are still a team of exceptional skill, able to sparking and chasing any rival for the title, but unity is lacking. This cannot be blamed on the new signings only.

Individual and Team Issues

The player is not the sole established member to experience a dip, with the midfielder regaining to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté laboring. But he ends up at the core of the turmoil that has recently engulfed Liverpool. That applies to a personal level, with Salah's sorrow over the death of Diogo Jota clear on that heartfelt opening night against the Cherries. The effect of Jota's death can neither be assessed nor overlooked.

Strategic Changes

In the prior campaign, he