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It has been some time, but the Egyptian star was back assuming the lead part last week with a brace in Morocco that secured the Egyptian team's place at the global tournament. The key player taking the limelight once more. Liverpool must have him to stay there.

Factors for Variable Performances

There exist numerous reasons why inconsistent, unconvincing displays have been the frequent pattern characterizing the team's start to their championship defense, whether they produced a winning streak or, prior to the Red Devils' visit to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, a losing run. The upheaval from numerous summer changes, Arne Slot's search for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's passing; Salah has experienced the impact of them all during his uncharacteristically quiet opening to the term.

Sunday's Key Fixture

Sunday's showpiece occasion could provide the catalyst for the source of a record 16 strikes in 17 appearances for the club against Manchester 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 Slot with an additional unexpected problem, however, should he continue caught in the upheaval for an extended period.

Latest Performance

The team's head coach must have recognized the paradox of Salah's initial score against Djibouti last Wednesday. Drilled first time with the outside of his stronger foot into the near post, Salah's eighth score of Egypt's qualifying effort originated from an nearly the same location to his expensive error versus Chelsea before the break for internationals.

If that attempt been finished moments after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would still be eulogising the new signing's first excellent setup in the Premier League. Discussions into his dip and the team's infrequent losing streak might as well have been delayed. Instead, Wirtz's search continues while the coach broods over a third consecutive defeat away, a couple inflicted by late goals and one the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Small margins, as he emphasized on Friday, but they cannot hide bigger issues.

Last Season's Contribution

The forward was instrumental in driving Liverpool towards a record-equalling 20th league title the prior campaign while doubt over his long-term plans lingered in the background. We achieved nearly the maximum out of Salah that campaign,” said Slot when his top scorer signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a noticeable drop-off on an individual and collective level since. The lineup, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Performance Drop

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of goals and assists is reduced 50% on the same stage the previous term, from a total eight in the initial seven league games of last season to 4 (a pair of goals and two assists) the current campaign. His tally of attempts has dropped from twenty-two to twelve while efforts on goal have declined from fifteen to five, contributing to a steep decline in shot accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, data show.

One attribute that has remained consistent is Salah's creativity. With 12 opportunities made, versus fourteen at the same stage of the previous season, his numbers remain among the top in Europe and up in the ranks of young talents and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years each.

Team Performance

Measures of team performance will worry the coach further. Salah had seventy-six contacts in the enemy penalty area in the initial seven matches of the prior campaign. This season's count is 39. These figures are symptomatic of the team's problems in general. Just United and the Gunners have taken more shots on goal than them in the current term, but the team's rate of attempts from inside the six-yard area is the poorest in the division, their ratio from outside the area among the top. Liverpool's percentage of efforts on goal – 28.4% – is also among the lowest in the competition.

During the initial phase of the previous campaign we mainly scored from an individual brilliance from an attacker and in the later stage it was more from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “Now we haven’t had as many moments of genius and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are still the side that from general play creates the highest expected goals opportunities.”

Recent Additions

They are not punishing foes in the fashion the coach imagined when Wirtz, the French forward and Alexander Isak were brought on board this summer, though the team stay the league's third-best goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be sufficient for him to reach the 100-point mark in less games than any boss in the club's past (forty-six). Consider what his attack will do when it does settle. The side are still a squad of outstanding individual quality, able to starting and catching any foe for the title, but cohesion is missing. That can not be blamed on the summer recruits alone.

Individual and Collective Challenges

Salah is not the sole senior player to experience a drop-off, with the midfielder working his way back to match sharpness and the defender laboring. But he is at the core of the upheaval that has of late affected the club. This applies to a personal level, with Salah's sorrow over the death of Jota evident on that emotional first game against Bournemouth. The effect of Jota's tragedy can not be quantified nor overlooked.

Strategic Adjustments

Last season, he