The midfield battle at Liverpool leaves limited room for anyone to usurp the players that Arne Slot already possesses. Liverpool have beaten Real Madrid and Manchester City in the back-to-back games with a 2-0 scoreline to assert their dominance.

The Reds have secured 18 victories from 20 games in all competitions this season under the head coach Arne Slot. The new head coach inherited a formidable squad from legendary manager Jurgen Klopp after a summer 2023 midfield revamp.

However, Slot played a key role in finding the right shape for that midfield while also helping the individual players. Last season’s signing Dominik Szoboszlai started the 2023-24 season strongly but nagging injuries and inconsistencies hampered his progress.

dominik szoboszlai, liverpool vs. manchester city (home)pic.twitter.com/FIb0L8OrTS

— twofeetelite (@twofeetelite) December 2, 2024

Ryan Gravenberch faced a similar problem along with Liverpool Academy’s own Curtis Jones as both players lacked a preferential position. While these two players have all the skills, they acted as the jack of all trades but master of none.

Meanwhile, only Alexis Mac Allister thrived throughout the season along with Wataru Endo playing his part as a defensive midfielder. Harvey Elliott shined throughout last season, influencing the game from the bench and as a starter under Klopp.

While Liverpool had a midfield department stacked with potential, many experts downplayed them compared to the midfield of other top clubs. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville considered the midfield of Manchester United better than Liverpool’s midfield at the season’s beginning.

Liverpool’s failure to sign Martin Zubimendi as a proven quality defensive midfielder from Real Sociedad brought more scrutiny and mockery. However, Slot opted to stick with the players he inherited, making subtle changes while implementing his ideas.

The Dutchman uses the same philosophy that Klopp installed at the club and has a similar out-of-possession approach. However, Slot demands structural integrity and makes sure that the team leaves no spaces when they lose the ball.

This approach further strengthens structural integrity and reduces congestion when the team has the ball. Slot demand control and a stern balance between risk and reward factors instead of going direct all the time.

While the whole team plays a crucial role in the team’s buildup, the midfield is an important cog. The double-pivot has a number six and a number eight while the number 10 plays in variation according to the opponent.

After missing out on Zubimendi, Slot made his first genius move by putting Gravenberch as the new number six. The Dutchman has played a pivotal role for Slot in the Liverpool midfield as he fits the profile that the head coach seeks in a defensive midfielder.

Meanwhile, Mac Allister has maintained his place as a regular starter in a double-pivot role and recently scored an important goal against Real Madrid. Jones also delivered a sensational performance against Los Blancos in their 2-0 victory, enjoying an incredible season so far.

The only player struggling with opportunity is the Japan captain and a fan favourite at Anfield, Endo. The combative defensive midfielder suited Klopp’s style more than Slot’s but remains professional and patient for his chances.

Meanwhile, Elliott has recently returned from his long injury lay-off after suffering a broken foot earlier this season. Liverpool’s midfielders have made pundits like Neville eat their word with the dominant display so far.

The unsung hero: Dominik Szoboszlai

However, Szoboszlai remains the player who has the fans still divided but is he struggling? The answer lies in what the fans expect versus what he is delivering throughout this season. Slot has used Szoboszlai as the number 10 in the Liverpool midfield, playing him in variation according to the opponents.

There is no denying that the Hungary captain needs to improve his contribution as the most attacking midfielder. Nevertheless, Szoboszlai’s work rate and his relentless “never give up” attitude have helped Liverpool a lot this season.

The 24-year-old has earned rightful praise from the majority of Kopites who understand the value of his overall influence. The same influence has endeared Darwin Nunez who has similarly struggled with contributing more goals and assists at the club.

Szoboszlai played a pivotal role against Manchester City in the team’s crucial 2-0 Anfield victory on Sunday. His heatmap, as shared in the picture, shows that he covered the whole field to hassle Man City in possession.

According to Sofascore, the 24-year-old enjoyed 72 touches with 83% passing accuracy, playing more direct than his midfield partners. Szoboszlai delivered three accurate long balls and one accurate cross along with impressive four key passes.

The Hungarian international won two out of four ground duels and 100% aerial duels(two) while earning a foul for Liverpool. He also made one interception and one tackle to fulfil his defensive duty while tracking back relentlessly to help teammates.

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• “We dominated”- Liverpool star continues to put up sensational numbers in dream season
• “A long road ahead”: Slot demands Liverpool to stay consistent

There’s more to Szoboszlai’s performances than goals and assists this season and the fans who want him to score more consistently need to exercise more patience. After all, Liverpool as a team are scoring consistently with 46 goals from those 20 games in all competitions so far.