Mohamed Salah Needs Comeback to Center Stage for Anfield's Big Occasion

It's been some time, but Mohamed Salah was back playing the starring role recently with two goals in Casablanca that secured Egypt's spot at the upcoming World Cup. The main man stepping on the limelight another time. Liverpool need him to stay there.

Reasons for Inconsistent Displays

There are several reasons why inconsistent, lackluster showings have been the recurring theme defining the team's opening to their league defense, whether they achieved a winning streak or, before Manchester United's trip to Anfield on Sunday, a losing run. The upheaval from multiple summer changes, the coach's hunt for his best XI, the late forward's tragic death; the winger has felt the consequences of them all during his uncharacteristically low-key start to the term.

Sunday's Key Fixture

The weekend's key fixture could deliver the spark for the origin of a record 16 goals in 17 games for the club against Manchester United, who are making their 100th visit to Anfield and have not won at their fierce rivals for over nine years. Salah will pose the manager with a further surprise issue, however, if he continue lost in the disruption much longer.

Recent Form

Liverpool's manager likely recognized the paradox of the player's initial score against the opponent last Wednesday. Swept directly with the outside of his stronger foot into the close post, his eighth strike of Egypt's World Cup qualifying campaign was from an very similar spot to his big mistake versus Chelsea prior to the break for internationals.

If that shot with his right been converted shortly after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would still be celebrating Florian Wirtz's maiden sublime pass in the Premier League. Inquests into his dip and the team's unusual defeat streak might also have been postponed. Instead, the midfielder's wait goes on while the coach fumes over a third consecutive loss on the road, two caused by dying-minute strikes and one the outcome of a debatable penalty. Small margins, as Slot repeated on Friday, but they do not camouflage larger problems.

Previous Campaign's Influence

Salah was instrumental in pushing Liverpool towards a tying 20th championship last season while uncertainty over his career persisted in the background. “We brought almost the best out of Mo this season,” said the manager when his top scorer signed a fresh deal in April. There has been a noticeable drop-off on an individual and team level from then. The team, not the details of a deal, are accountable.

Performance Decrease

His contribution in terms of scores and assists is lower 50% on the same point last season, from a combined eight in the initial seven league games of last season to 4 (two goals and two assists) this season. His tally of shots has dropped from 22 to 12 while efforts on goal have fallen from 15 to 5, contributing to a significant decline in conversion rate (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6 percent, figures show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is his creativity. With 12 opportunities made, against 14 at the equivalent point of last campaign, his numbers remain among the best in the continent and comparable in the group of young talents and rising stars, his juniors by fifteen and 13 years respectively.

Collective Performance

Measures of collective output will trouble Slot further. He had seventy-six touches in the enemy box in the first seven matches of the prior campaign. This season's total is 39. The stats are indicative of the squad's issues in general. Only United and the Gunners have tried more attempts on goal than Liverpool in the current term, but Liverpool's proportion of shots from within the six-yard area is the lowest in the Premier League, their percentage from outside the area among the highest. The club's proportion of shots on target – 28.4% – is also among the lowest in the competition.

During the initial phase of the previous campaign we mostly scored from a special moment from a forward and in the second half it was mostly from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Now we lack as many sparks of quality and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the team that from live action generates the most xG chances.”

New Signings

They aren't beating rivals in the manner the coach planned when Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and Alexander Isak were acquired recently, although the team are the league's joint third-highest goalscorers. A tie on Sunday would be enough for him to achieve the 100-point total in fewer games than any boss in Liverpool's history (forty-six). Think what his attack will do when it does settle. The side are still a team of exceptional individual quality, capable of sparking and reeling in any opponent for the title, but unity is lacking. That can not be pinned on the new signings only.

Individual and Collective Challenges

The player is not the only senior player to experience a drop-off, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to fitness and the defender struggling. But he ends up at the core of the upheaval that has of late engulfed Liverpool. This extends to a personal level, with his sorrow over the death of Jota obvious on that emotional first game against Bournemouth. The impact of his death can not be measured nor overlooked.

Tactical Shifts

Last season, he