🔗 Share this article

It's been a period, but the Egyptian star returned assuming the starring role in recent days with two goals in Casablanca that sealed the Egyptian team's place at the 2026 World Cup. The main man claiming the limelight once more. The Reds must have him to stay there.

Causes for Unsteady Displays

There are several factors why inconsistent, unimpressive showings have been the recurring theme running through the team's start to their title defence, if they produced seven straight victories or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Anfield on the weekend, three consecutive defeats. The upheaval from multiple new signings, the coach's quest for his ideal lineup, Diogo Jota's tragic death; Salah has endured the effect of them all during his uncharacteristically quiet start to the term.

Sunday's Big Match

Sunday's showpiece occasion could deliver the catalyst for the cause of a impressive 16 goals in 17 appearances for Liverpool against United, who are paying their 100th appearance to the stadium and have not won at their fierce rivals for more than nine years. The attacker will pose Slot with an additional surprise issue, though, should he remain caught in the turmoil indefinitely.

Current Performance

Liverpool's boss likely noticed the irony of the player's opening strike against Djibouti last Wednesday. Drilled directly with the outside of his left foot inside the close post, Salah's eighth score of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign was from an very similar spot to his expensive error in the Chelsea match prior to the national team pause.

Had that shot with his right been converted moments after the restart at Stamford Bridge we would still be eulogising Florian Wirtz's first sublime assist in the Premier League. Discussions into Salah's drop and Liverpool's rare losing run might as well have been delayed. Rather, Wirtz's search goes on while the coach broods over a third consecutive away defeat, two due to dying-minute strikes and another the result of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as Slot emphasized on recently, but they do not mask underlying concerns.

Previous Campaign's Contribution

The forward was instrumental in pushing the side towards a historic 20th league title last season while doubt over his long-term plans rumbled in the background. We achieved nearly the maximum out of Salah this season,” said Slot when his main attacker signed a new two‑year contract in the spring. There has been a obvious decline on an personal and team level since. The team, not the terms of a contract, are responsible.

Performance Decrease

His production in terms of goals and setups is lower half on the same stage last season, from a total eight in the opening seven fixtures of 2024-25 to 4 (a pair of goals and a couple of assists) this season. The count of attempts has dropped from 22 to 12 while efforts on goal have fallen from fifteen to 5, contributing to a sharp fall in conversion rate (excluding blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, statistics show.

One attribute that has remained consistent is his chance creation. With 12 chances created, compared with 14 at the equivalent point of last campaign, his stats stay among the best in Europe and up in the group of Lamine Yamal and rising stars, his juniors by 15 and thirteen years respectively.

Collective Display

Indicators of collective display will concern Slot further. Salah had 76 contacts in the opposition box in the initial seven league games of the prior campaign. This season's count is 39. These figures are reflective of the team's difficulties in general. Only United and Arsenal have attempted more shots on goal than them now, but Liverpool's rate of shots from within the goal area is the smallest in the top flight, their ratio from long range among the top. Liverpool's rate of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – 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 dead ball,” Slot said. “Currently we haven’t had as numerous acts of brilliance and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the side that from general play produces the most expected goals opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They are not hurting foes in the way Slot imagined when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were signed this summer, though the team stay the league's equal third-top scorers. A draw on Sunday would be enough for Slot to reach the 100-point mark in less games than any coach in the club's history (46). Consider what his forward line will do when it does settle. The side remain a team of outstanding talent, able to sparking and reeling in any foe for the title, but unity is missing. That can not be blamed on the summer recruits by themselves.

Personal and Team Problems

The player is not the only established player to suffer a drop-off, with the midfielder returning to fitness and the defender struggling. But he ends up at the heart of the disruption that has of late affected the club. This goes to a personal level, with Salah's grief over the loss of Diogo Jota clear on that heartfelt season opener against Bournemouth. The effect of Jota's death can not be assessed nor overlooked.

Tactical Adjustments

In the prior campaign, he