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It has been a while, but Mohamed Salah returned taking on the main part last week with a double in Morocco that confirmed the Egyptian team's place at the global tournament. The key player claiming the limelight another time. The Merseyside club need him to stay there.

Factors for Variable Showings

There are numerous factors why variable, lackluster performances have been the frequent pattern running through the team's opening to their league defense, if they recorded seven wins in a row or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Liverpool's home ground on Sunday, three consecutive defeats. The upheaval from numerous new signings, Arne Slot's quest for his best XI, the late forward's passing; Salah has experienced the impact of them all during his atypically low-key beginning to the term.

Sunday's Big Match

The weekend's showpiece occasion could provide the catalyst for the cause of a record 16 strikes in 17 games for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are making their 100th appearance to the stadium and have not triumphed at their biggest foes for over nine years. The attacker will create Slot with an additional unforeseen dilemma, however, if he remain caught in the upheaval for an extended period.

Recent Performance

The team's manager must have noticed the paradox of Salah's opening strike against the opponent recently. Struck first time with the exterior of his left foot inside the near post, his eighth strike of the national team's World Cup qualifying campaign came from an nearly the same spot to his expensive error in the Chelsea match before the national team pause.

If that right-foot effort been scored shortly after the resumption at Stamford Bridge we would still be praising Florian Wirtz's first sublime pass in the league. Inquests into Salah's drop and Liverpool's infrequent defeat streak might as well have been delayed. Rather, the midfielder's search persists while Slot fumes over a third consecutive loss on the road, two due to last-minute winners and one the outcome of a debatable penalty. Fine lines, as Slot emphasized on recently, but they cannot hide bigger issues.

Last Season's Impact

Salah was crucial in pushing the side towards a record-equalling 20th championship the previous term while doubt over his future rumbled in the background. “We brought almost the utmost out of Mo that campaign,” said Slot when his main attacker signed a fresh deal in the spring. We have seen a obvious drop-off on an individual and collective level since. The team, not the details of a contract, are to blame.

Statistical Drop

His production in terms of goals and assists is reduced 50% on the same point the previous term, from a combined eight in the initial seven league games of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) the current campaign. The count of attempts has dropped from twenty-two to 12 while efforts on goal have declined from fifteen to five, leading to a sharp drop in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, data show.

A particular skill that has held more steady is his playmaking. With twelve opportunities made, versus fourteen at the equivalent point of the previous season, his stats remain among the best in the continent and comparable in the company of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years respectively.

Collective Output

Indicators of collective performance will worry the coach more. Salah had 76 touches in the opposition penalty area in the first seven league games of last season. This term's tally is thirty-nine. The stats are indicative of the team's problems in general. Only United and the Gunners have taken a greater number of shots on goal than Liverpool now, but the team's percentage of attempts from within the six-yard area is the lowest in the Premier League, their percentage from distance among the highest. The club's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – is as well among the poorest 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 dead ball,” the manager said. “This season we have not seen as numerous moments of genius and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are still the side that from open play produces the most expected goals opportunities.”

New Signings

They aren't hurting foes in the manner Slot envisaged when Florian Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were acquired this summer, though Liverpool remain the division's joint third-highest scorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for Slot to reach the century of points in fewer games than any coach in Liverpool's past (46). Think what his forward line will do when it clicks. Liverpool remain a team of supreme individual quality, able to igniting and catching any foe for the title, but synergy is lacking. That cannot be pinned on the new signings alone.

Personal and Collective Challenges

Salah is not the sole established player to suffer a dip, with the midfielder regaining to form and Ibrahima Konaté toiling. But he finds himself at the core of the turmoil that has lately affected the club. This extends to a personal level, with his sorrow over the death of Diogo Jota evident on that heartfelt opening night against the Cherries. The influence of his loss can neither be quantified nor dismissed.

Strategic Changes

Previously, he