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It's been some time, but Liverpool's forward was back playing the lead part recently with two goals in Morocco that sealed the Egyptian team's spot at the global tournament. The key player stepping on the limelight another time. Liverpool must have him to remain there.

Causes for Variable Displays

There exist many reasons why unsteady, unconvincing performances have been the common thread defining Liverpool's opening to their league defense, if they recorded seven straight victories or, before the Red Devils' arrival to Anfield on Sunday, three losses in a row. The disruption from multiple new signings, the coach's search for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's passing; the winger has endured the effect of them all during his unusually quiet start to the campaign.

The Weekend's Big Match

The weekend's big match could deliver the impetus for the cause of a record 16 goals in 17 outings for the club against United, who are paying their 100th visit to Anfield and have not won at their fierce rivals for almost a decade. The attacker will pose Slot with an additional unforeseen dilemma, yet, should he stay lost in the upheaval for an extended period.

Current Display

Liverpool's boss likely recognized the contrast of Salah's opening strike against Djibouti in midweek. Struck directly with the exterior of his left foot inside the near post, Salah's eighth strike of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign was from an nearly the same position to his big mistake versus Chelsea prior to the break for internationals.

Had that shot with his right been converted moments after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would still be celebrating the new signing's maiden excellent pass in the league. Analyses into Salah's dip and the team's rare defeat streak might as well have been postponed. Rather, the midfielder's wait persists while Slot broods over a third away defeat, a couple caused by dying-minute strikes and one the outcome of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as he emphasized on Friday, but they cannot hide larger problems.

Last Season's Influence

Salah was crucial in driving the side towards a tying 20th league title the prior campaign while speculation over his future lingered in the background. We extracted nearly the utmost out of Mo that campaign,” said the manager when his top scorer signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. We have seen a clear decrease on an personal and team level from then. The squad, not the details of a contract, are to blame.

Performance Drop

The 33-year-old's production in terms of goals and assists is down half on the same stage the previous term, from a combined 8 in the first seven fixtures of last season to four (a pair of goals and two assists) the current campaign. His number of shots has decreased from twenty-two to twelve while accurate shots have dropped from fifteen to five, causing a sharp fall in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, data show.

A particular skill that has stayed stable is Salah's creativity. With 12 key passes, compared with 14 at the equivalent point of last campaign, his stats remain among the best in Europe and comparable in the group of Lamine Yamal and Arda Güler, his juniors by fifteen and 13 years each.

Collective Performance

Metrics of collective performance will trouble Slot further. He had 76 touches in the opposition box in the initial seven fixtures of the previous term. This term's count is 39. These figures are reflective of the squad's problems as a whole. Only Manchester United and the Gunners have taken a greater number of shots on goal than Liverpool in the current term, but the team's proportion of shots from within the six-yard box is the smallest in the division, their percentage from distance among the greatest. Liverpool's proportion of shots on target – 28.4 percent – is as well among the weakest in the competition.

During the initial phase of the previous campaign we mainly scored from a moment of magic from a forward and in the later stage it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Now we lack as numerous acts of brilliance and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are still the side that from open play generates the most xG chances.”

New Signings

They aren't beating rivals in the manner the coach envisaged when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were signed in the offseason, while Liverpool are the league's third-best goalscorers. A draw on Sunday would be sufficient for Slot to attain the 100-point total in less games than any manager in Liverpool's past (46). Imagine what his offense will do when it finally gels. The side are still a squad of supreme skill, equipped to sparking and chasing any rival for the championship, but synergy is absent. That cannot be pinned on the summer recruits only.

Individual and Collective Problems

Salah is not the sole established member to suffer a dip, with the midfielder regaining to match sharpness and the defender struggling. But he ends up at the heart of the disruption that has recently affected the club. That extends to a personal level, with Salah's sadness over the loss of Diogo Jota clear on that heartfelt first game against Bournemouth. The influence of Jota's tragedy can not be quantified nor ignored.

Strategic Shifts

Last season, he