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It's been some time, but Mohamed Salah was back playing the starring role recently with two goals in Casablanca that sealed the Egyptian team's place at the upcoming World Cup. The key player taking center stage yet again. Liverpool must have him to keep that position.

Causes for Inconsistent Showings

We see many causes why inconsistent, lackluster displays have been the recurring theme characterizing the team's opening to their title defence, whether they achieved seven wins in a row or, before the Red Devils' arrival to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, three losses in a row. The turmoil from so many new signings, Arne Slot's hunt for his ideal lineup, the late forward's loss; the winger has endured the consequences of them all during his atypically quiet beginning to the season.

Sunday's Key Fixture

Sunday's key fixture could offer the spark for the origin of a record 16 strikes in 17 appearances for Liverpool against United, who are making their centenary trip to the stadium and have not succeeded at their archrivals for over nine years. The attacker will create the manager with an additional unforeseen dilemma, though, should he continue caught in the disruption for an extended period.

Current Performance

The team's boss must have recognized the paradox of the player's first goal against the opponent last Wednesday. Struck directly with the exterior of his stronger foot into the near post, his eighth strike of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign originated from an nearly the same location to his expensive error against Chelsea prior to the national team pause.

Had that right-foot effort been scored moments after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would still be praising Florian Wirtz's first excellent setup in the Premier League. Inquests into his decline and the team's rare losing run might also have been postponed. Instead, Wirtz's search goes on while Slot broods over a third consecutive loss on the road, a couple caused by late goals and one the result of a debatable penalty. Narrow differences, as he repeated on recently, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Influence

Salah was crucial in driving Liverpool towards a historic 20th crown the previous term while doubt over his career persisted in the background. We extracted almost the utmost out of Mo this season,” said Slot when his top scorer signed a new two‑year contract in April. There has been a clear drop-off on an personal and team level from then. The team, not the terms of a contract, are accountable.

Statistical Decline

His production in terms of goals and assists is lower half on the same point the prior campaign, from a total 8 in the opening seven matches of 2024-25 to 4 (two goals and a couple of assists) this season. The count of shots has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while accurate shots have dropped from fifteen to five, leading to a significant decline in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, data show.

One attribute that has stayed stable is Salah's creativity. With 12 opportunities made, versus 14 at the same stage of the previous season, his numbers remain among the top in Europe and up in the group of young talents and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by 15 and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Display

Indicators of collective output will trouble Slot additionally. He had seventy-six touches in the enemy penalty area in the initial seven matches of the previous term. This term's total is 39. The stats are symptomatic of the squad's problems as a whole. Just United and Arsenal have tried a greater number of shots on goal than Liverpool now, but Liverpool's proportion of attempts from within the six-yard box is the smallest in the division, their ratio from outside the area among the greatest. The club's percentage of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is as well among the lowest in the league.

“In the first half of last season we primarily scored from a moment of magic from one of our front three and in the second half it was mostly from a set piece,” 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 nonetheless the side that from general play creates the most xG chances.”

Summer Arrivals

They aren't hurting foes in the way Slot imagined when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were acquired in the offseason, although the team are the league's joint third-highest goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be sufficient for him to reach the 100-point total in fewer games than any manager in the club's past (forty-six). Think what his offense will do when it does settle. Liverpool are still a team of exceptional skill, capable of sparking and reeling in any opponent for the championship, but unity is missing. That cannot be pinned on the new signings only.

Personal and Team Problems

Salah is not the only key player to suffer a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to match sharpness and Ibrahima Konaté struggling. But he finds himself at the center of the turmoil that has lately engulfed Liverpool. This extends to a personal level, with his sorrow over the passing of Jota evident on that heartfelt opening night against Bournemouth. The influence of Jota's tragedy can not be assessed nor dismissed.

Strategic Changes

In the prior campaign, he