It has been some time, but the Egyptian star reappeared taking on the starring role last week with a brace in Morocco that sealed the Egyptian team's spot at the 2026 World Cup. The key player taking center stage another time. The Merseyside club must have him to remain there.
We see numerous reasons why variable, lackluster showings have been the frequent pattern running through Liverpool's start to their title defence, whether they produced seven wins in a row or, before Manchester United's arrival to Anfield on the weekend, three losses in a row. The disruption from numerous new signings, Arne Slot's search for his top team, the late forward's passing; Salah has experienced the consequences of them all during his atypically subdued opening to the term.
The weekend's big match could offer the catalyst for the source of a record 16 goals in 17 outings for the club against Manchester United, who are paying their centenary trip to Anfield and have not succeeded at their archrivals for over nine years. Salah will present the manager with another unexpected problem, yet, should he remain caught in the upheaval for an extended period.
The team's boss must have noticed the contrast of Salah's opening strike against Djibouti last Wednesday. Drilled directly with the outside of his left foot into the near post, his eighth goal of the national team's qualification run came from an very similar position to his expensive error versus Chelsea prior to the break for internationals.
If that attempt been converted shortly after the resumption at Chelsea's ground we would still be eulogising Florian Wirtz's first excellent assist in the league. Inquests into his dip and the team's infrequent losing streak might as well have been postponed. Rather, Wirtz's search continues while Slot fumes over a third loss on the road, two caused by late goals and another the result of a controversial spot-kick. Fine lines, as he repeated on recently, but they cannot hide underlying concerns.
Salah was crucial in pushing the side towards a tying 20th championship the previous term while speculation over his long-term plans rumbled in the backdrop. We achieved almost the maximum out of Mo that campaign,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a new two‑year contract in April. There has been a noticeable decrease on an personal and team level since. The team, not the details of a contract, are accountable.
His contribution in terms of goals and assists is reduced half on the same point last season, from a combined 8 in the opening seven fixtures of 2024-25 to four (two goals and two assists) this season. His tally of shots has dropped from twenty-two to twelve while efforts on goal have dropped from 15 to five, causing a steep decline in shooting accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9 percent to 55.6 percent, data show.
A single trait that has remained consistent is Salah's creativity. With twelve key passes, versus fourteen at the same stage of last term, his figures remain among the top in Europe and comparable in the company of young talents and rising stars, his juniors by fifteen and thirteen years each.
Indicators of team output will trouble Slot more. He had 76 touches in the opposition box in the initial seven fixtures of the prior campaign. The current campaign's tally is 39. These figures are symptomatic of the squad's difficulties as a whole. Only United and Arsenal have taken more attempts on goal than them this season, but the team's percentage of shots from inside the six-yard area is the poorest in the division, their ratio from long range among the highest. Liverpool's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – is also among the weakest in the league.
During the initial phase of last season we mainly scored from an individual brilliance from a forward and in the later stage it was mostly from a dead ball,” Slot said. “Currently we haven’t had as numerous sparks of quality and we have not found the net from set pieces. But we are nonetheless the side that from open play creates the most xG chances.”
They aren't hurting opponents in the way the coach imagined when Wirtz, the French forward and the Swedish striker were signed this summer, while the team are the division's third-best scorers. A draw on the weekend would be enough for him to reach the 100-point total in fewer games than any boss in the club's past (forty-six). Consider what his offense will do when it finally gels. The side remain a squad of supreme talent, capable of sparking and reeling in any opponent for the championship, but unity is lacking. This can not be attributed on the summer recruits only.
Salah is not the sole established member to experience a drop-off, with the midfielder returning to form and the defender toiling. But he finds himself at the core of the turmoil that has lately engulfed Liverpool. This extends to a individual level, with Salah's sadness over the passing of Jota evident on that poignant opening night against the Cherries. The impact of Jota's loss can neither be measured nor dismissed.
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