🔗 Share this article

It's been some time, but Mohamed Salah returned assuming the starring role last week with two goals in Casablanca that secured Egypt's position at the 2026 World Cup. The star taking the spotlight another time. The Reds must have him to stay there.

Reasons for Unsteady Showings

There are numerous reasons why unsteady, unconvincing performances have been the frequent pattern defining the team's opening to their championship defense, whether they achieved a winning streak or, before Manchester United's trip to Anfield on the weekend, three losses in a row. The upheaval from so many new signings, Arne Slot's quest for his top team, Diogo Jota's tragic death; the winger has experienced the impact of them all during his atypically subdued opening to the season.

Sunday's Key Fixture

Sunday's key fixture could offer the impetus for the source of a record 16 strikes in 17 outings for the club against Manchester United, who are making their 100th visit to Anfield and have not triumphed at their archrivals for almost a decade. The attacker will present Slot with another surprise issue, though, should he continue caught in the turmoil much longer.

Current Display

The team's head coach likely seen the contrast of the player's first goal against the opponent in midweek. Drilled first time with the outside of his stronger foot into the near post, his eighth score of Egypt's qualification run came from an very similar position to his big mistake in the Chelsea match before the break for internationals.

Had that right-foot effort been scored shortly after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be praising the new signing's maiden excellent setup in the league. Analyses into Salah's decline and Liverpool's rare losing run might also have been delayed. Rather, the midfielder's search goes on while Slot fumes over a third defeat away, two caused by late goals and one the result of a debatable penalty. Narrow differences, as Slot emphasized on Friday, but they do not camouflage underlying concerns.

Previous Campaign's Impact

The forward was instrumental in pushing Liverpool towards a tying 20th crown the previous term while uncertainty over his long-term plans lingered in the background. We achieved almost the best out of Mo last term,” said the manager when his main attacker signed a new two‑year contract in April. There has been a noticeable drop-off on an personal and team level since. The team, not the details of a contract, are to blame.

Statistical Decline

His production in terms of scores and assists is lower half on the same stage last season, from a combined eight in the initial seven league games of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this season. The count of shots has decreased from 22 to twelve while accurate shots have dropped from fifteen to 5, leading to a steep fall in shot accuracy (excluding blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6%, figures show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is his chance creation. With 12 opportunities made, versus 14 at the equivalent point of last campaign, his numbers remain among the top in the continent and up in the group of young talents and rising stars, his younger counterparts by fifteen and 13 years each.

Collective Display

Metrics of team display will concern the coach further. Salah had 76 contacts in the opposition penalty area in the first seven fixtures of the prior campaign. This term's total is 39. The numbers are symptomatic of the squad's issues in general. Just Manchester United and Arsenal have tried more attempts on goal than Liverpool now, but the team's percentage of shots from within the six-yard box is the smallest in the division, their ratio from long range among the highest. The club's rate of accurate shots – 28.4 percent – is as well among the weakest in the competition.

“In the first half of last season we primarily scored from a moment of magic from one of our front three and in the later stage it was more from a free-kick or corner,” the manager said. “Currently we have not seen as numerous sparks of quality and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are still the side that from general play creates the highest xG chances.”

Recent Additions

They are not punishing opponents in the manner Slot envisaged when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were acquired in the offseason, while Liverpool stay the league's third-best goalscorers. A draw on the weekend would be sufficient for Slot to attain the 100-point total in fewer games than any boss in the club's history (forty-six). Consider what his offense will do when it finally gels. The side remain a team of outstanding individual quality, equipped to starting and chasing any foe for the title, but unity is absent. This can not be attributed on the summer recruits alone.

Personal and Team Challenges

Salah is not the sole key player to suffer a dip, with Alexis Mac Allister returning to form and Ibrahima Konaté struggling. But he finds himself at the center of the turmoil that has recently enveloped Liverpool. This applies to a personal level, with his grief over the loss of Jota obvious on that poignant season opener against Bournemouth. The influence of Jota's loss can not be assessed nor overlooked.

Strategic Shifts

Previously, he