One of the enduring images from Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Man City in February was that of Dominik Szoboszlai, who collapsed to his knees in exhaustion at the full-time whistle.
Returning to the Etihad with the champions on Super Sunday, the midfielder had just performed a lung-busting virtuoso performance. No Liverpool player covered more than 11.54km that afternoon. A deft short corner routine set up Mohamed Salah’s opener, before he doubled the visitors’ lead with a cool finish from a more advanced role.
Head coach Arne Slott changed the formation to “play with two No. 10s”, one of whom was the versatile Hungarian, who was the tactical mastermind behind the win that extended their lead over Premier League leaders Liverpool to 11 points and put them on the verge of clinching the title.
Dominik Szoboszlai to play full game at Etihad in February
When the title was confirmed two months later, it was built on the foundations of an up-and-coming midfield consisting of Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenbirch. The trio were signed by manager Jurgen Klopp two years ago after the Reds decided to withdraw from Jude Bellingham.
Szoboszlai impressed in the first half of his debut at Anfield, scoring his trademark piledriver against Aston Villa and Leicester City, but suffered a hamstring injury at the start of the year and suffered a setback.
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With Liverpool still playing all four games, the all-action midfielder returned too hastily, aggravating the same injury against Chelsea and was out for 12 games, not to return until March, when Klopp’s injury-hit side were reeling in the home straight.
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After Dominik Szoboszlai’s classy assist set up Mo Salah’s opening goal against the Etihad in February, Jamie Carragher praised Liverpool’s corner routine against Manchester City.
However, under Slott’s wise management, Szoboszlai has been more consistent, and helped by the medical team’s efforts to keep him in tip-top shape, appearing in 36 of Liverpool’s 38 league games last season, contributing six goals and seven assists.
This season, however, the 25-year-old has taken his game to an even higher level and has been the standout performer in the slot so far, despite being used at times as a makeshift right-back following injuries to Conor Bradley and Jeremy Frimpong earlier in the season.
Perhaps it was in the early weeks of the season, when the team were clearly struggling to win but needed individual moments of brilliance, such as his amazing late free strike to beat title rivals Arsenal at Anfield in August, which was 31.9 yards, the third-longest of the season in the top flight.
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RefCam’s best in this season’s Premier League.
Or it was Szoboszlai who outscored his team-mates again during the Champions’ recent defeat, as in the 3-2 loss to Brentford. Meanwhile, it’s no surprise that the Hungarian international was once again at the forefront when Slott needed to rebuild his team ahead of a difficult week.
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A look back at some of Liverpool’s most iconic goals against Manchester City in the Premier League
The midfielder, who provided an assist and a goal in Liverpool’s 5-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, saved his best until the end, winning Man of the Match twice as he helped get the Reds back on track after defeats to Aston Villa and Real Madrid at Anfield.
Significantly, Szoboszlai outscored all his team-mates last Saturday night against Villa (11.18km), and against Real on Tuesday night he ran the second longest distance, created Mac Allister’s winning goal with an unblockable cross, took five shots (four on target) and also made three important passes.
And it is no coincidence that, in search of a way to end Liverpool’s four-game losing streak, Slott has opted to go back to basics and revert to the midfield configuration that won them the title last season.
This meant Szoboszlai was no longer playing out of position at right-back, with the team losing vital dynamism and running power in midfield – see how he won the ball on the edge of the area and pressed to create a one-on-one chance against Villa – but it also meant placing the number eight on the right of the Reds’ front three, close to Salah, with the Egyptian immediately activated.
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Watch for free: Premier League match highlights between Liverpool and Aston Villa
“He’s been outstanding all season,” Slott said ahead of Sunday’s trip to City. “But these two games brought even more from the team and from him.
“Dominik has a lot of qualities and one of them is his work without the ball. In the last two games, it was even above his own standards.”
Dominic has many qualities, one of which is his work without the ball. In the last two games, it was even better than his own standards.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slott
As such, Liverpool’s manager will be reluctant to change things at the Etihad (unless he uses the same formation that won them the title in February). With Szoboszlai’s growing influence on the champions, such as Florian Wirtz, who was signed for £116.5m in the summer, the only realistic way to retain his starting spot is to exclude Kodi Gakpo on the left of the front.
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