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It has been a period, but Liverpool's forward reappeared taking on the main part in recent days with two goals in Morocco that confirmed Egypt's place at the upcoming World Cup. The star stepping on the spotlight yet again. The Reds need him to stay there.

Factors for Inconsistent Showings

We see numerous factors why variable, unimpressive performances have been the common thread defining the team's opening to their league defense, whether they recorded seven straight victories or, before Manchester United's visit to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The upheaval from numerous new signings, the coach's hunt for his top team, the late forward's loss; Salah has endured the consequences of them all during his atypically low-key start to the campaign.

Sunday's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's showpiece occasion could offer the impetus for the source of a record 16 scores in 17 appearances for the club against United, who are paying their 100th appearance to the stadium and have not won at their fierce rivals for over nine years. Salah will pose the manager with another unexpected problem, however, should he remain caught in the upheaval much longer.

Latest Display

The team's boss must have seen the paradox of the player's first goal against the opponent recently. Struck directly with the outside of his stronger foot inside the close post, his eighth goal of Egypt's qualifying effort originated from an very similar location to his big mistake against Chelsea prior to the national team pause.

If that attempt been finished moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be celebrating the new signing's maiden superb setup in the English top flight. Analyses into Salah's decline and Liverpool's unusual losing run might as well have been postponed. Rather, the midfielder's wait goes on while Slot broods over a third consecutive defeat away, two caused by late goals and another the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as Slot reiterated on Friday, but they do not camouflage underlying concerns.

Last Season's Contribution

The forward was crucial in driving Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th championship last season while doubt over his career rumbled in the backdrop. We achieved almost the utmost out of Mo last term,” said Slot when his main attacker signed a fresh deal in April. We have seen a noticeable decrease on an individual and team level since. The squad, not the details of a deal, are to blame.

Performance Decrease

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of goals and assists is down half on the corresponding stage the previous term, from a total 8 in the first seven fixtures of last season to four (two goals and a couple of assists) this term. His number of attempts has decreased from twenty-two to 12 while shots on target have declined from 15 to five, leading to a significant decline in shooting accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, data show.

A particular skill that has stayed stable is his creativity. With 12 chances created, compared with fourteen at the comparable period of last term, his figures are among the finest in Europe and up in the group of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his juniors by 15 and 13 years each.

Collective Output

Measures of team display will trouble Slot more. He had 76 contacts in the opposition box in the initial seven matches of the prior campaign. This term's tally is thirty-nine. The stats are reflective of the squad's issues as a whole. Only United and the Gunners have taken a greater number of attempts on goal than them now, but the team's proportion of shots from inside the six-yard box is the lowest in the Premier League, their percentage from distance among the top. The club's rate of accurate shots – 28.4% – is as well among the lowest in the league.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mainly scored from a moment of magic from an attacker and in the second half it was more from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Currently we haven’t had as numerous sparks of quality and we have not found the net from dead balls. But we are still the team that from general play produces the most expected goals opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't beating opponents in the manner the coach envisaged when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired in the offseason, although Liverpool are the division's equal third-top goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for Slot to reach the 100-point mark in fewer games than any manager in the club's history (46). Imagine what his attack will do when it does settle. The side are still a team of outstanding individual quality, equipped to sparking and reeling in any rival for the championship, but unity is missing. This can not be pinned on the new signings alone.

Personal and Collective Problems

The player is not the only established player to experience a dip, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to fitness and the defender struggling. But he ends up at the heart of the disruption that has of late engulfed Liverpool. This extends to a individual level, with his sorrow over the death of Diogo Jota obvious on that heartfelt season opener against Bournemouth. The effect of Jota's loss can neither be assessed nor overlooked.

Strategic Changes

In the prior campaign, he