🔗 Share this article

It's been some time, but Mohamed Salah was back playing the starring role recently with two goals in Morocco that sealed Egypt's position at the upcoming World Cup. The key player taking the limelight yet again. The Reds must have him to keep that position.

Causes for Inconsistent Showings

There are many causes why inconsistent, unconvincing performances have been the frequent pattern running through Liverpool's beginning to their championship defense, whether they achieved seven wins in a row or, before Manchester United's trip to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, a losing run. The disruption from numerous new signings, Arne Slot's hunt for his top team, Diogo Jota's loss; the winger has endured the consequences of them all during his unusually quiet beginning to the season.

Sunday's Key Fixture

Sunday's key fixture could offer the impetus for the origin of a impressive 16 goals in 17 appearances for Liverpool against United, who are paying their 100th appearance to Anfield and have not won at their biggest foes for almost a decade. Salah will present the manager with a further surprise issue, though, if he remain caught in the upheaval for an extended period.

Current Form

The team's boss likely recognized the paradox of the player's opening strike against the opponent recently. Swept first time with the outside of his left foot inside the close post, Salah's eighth score of Egypt's qualification run was from an almost identical position to his costly miss against Chelsea before the break for internationals.

Had that attempt been converted shortly after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be praising the new signing's maiden superb pass in the league. Discussions into Salah's decline and the team's unusual losing streak might as well have been postponed. Rather, Wirtz's wait goes on while the coach stews over a third consecutive loss on the road, two due to last-minute winners and another the outcome of a disputed penalty. Small margins, as he reiterated on recently, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Influence

Salah was instrumental in driving the side towards a historic 20th league title last season while speculation over his future persisted in the background. “We brought almost the utmost out of Mo that campaign,” said Slot when his main attacker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. We have seen a noticeable decline on an individual and collective level since. The lineup, not the terms of a contract, are accountable.

Performance Decrease

The 33-year-old's output in terms of scores and assists is down 50% on the same stage the previous term, from a total 8 in the initial seven matches of 2024-25 to 4 (two goals and two assists) the current campaign. The count of shots has decreased from 22 to 12 while accurate shots have declined from 15 to five, contributing to a significant decline in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, data show.

A single trait that has remained consistent is his creativity. With 12 chances created, compared with 14 at the equivalent point of last term, his numbers stay among the top in Europe and up in the ranks of young talents and Arda Güler, his juniors by 15 and 13 years respectively.

Team Output

Measures of collective output will trouble Slot additionally. He had seventy-six contacts in the opposition box in the first seven fixtures of last season. This season's total is 39. The numbers are indicative of the team's issues in general. Only Manchester United and the Gunners have attempted a greater number of shots on goal than them this season, but the team's proportion of attempts from within the six-yard box is the smallest in the top flight, their percentage from outside the area among the top. The club's rate of shots on target – 28.4 percent – is as well among the lowest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we mainly scored from a special moment from one of our front three and in the later stage it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Now we have not seen as many acts of brilliance and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the side that from general play creates the most quality opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They aren't hurting foes in the way Slot envisaged when Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were brought on board this summer, though the team stay the division's joint third-highest scorers. A tie on the weekend would be sufficient for him to attain the 100-point mark in fewer games than any coach in Liverpool's past (forty-six). Imagine what his forward line will do when it does settle. Liverpool remain a squad of supreme skill, able to igniting and catching any rival for the title, but synergy is missing. This cannot be blamed on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Collective Challenges

The player is not the only established member to suffer a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister regaining to fitness and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he finds himself at the heart of the upheaval that has recently engulfed the club. This goes to a individual level, with his sorrow over the loss of Diogo Jota clear on that emotional season opener against Bournemouth. The effect of Jota's death can neither be measured nor dismissed.

Strategic Shifts

Previously, he