ARTICLES
Holy trinity: Liverpool’s midfield continues to prove Neville wrong
Liverpool are the epitome of cohesiveness and chemistry in midfield with Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai dominating. The Reds beat Ipswich Town 4-1 in the Premier League clash at Anfield, maintaining a six-point gap against second-placed Arsenal.
Liverpool dominated the Tractor Boys from the start, managing the game in possession to conserve their energy amid stern scheduling. The Reds scored three goals in the first half of the game through Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo.
Liverpool added their fourth goal in the second half with Gakpo earning his second goal of the game against Ipswich. However, the Reds conceded one goal due to complacency in the 90th minute of the game from a set-piece situation.
Curtis Jones missed the game due to an injury sustained against LOSC Lille while Harvey Elliott featured as a substitute. Nevertheless, Liverpool’s midfield dominance provided them with 70% of the ball possession with 465 out of 673 accurate passes taking place in Ipswich’s half.
The industrial work rate from Szoboszlai, Mac Allister and Gravenberch for Liverpool forced Ipswich to drop deeper. Liverpool’s midfield gained the focus of the media after pundit Gary Neville highlighted the struggling Manchester United’s midfield as better.
The baffling comment during the season’s early stages has completely backfired with the Reds’ midfield playing a pivotal role. Arne Slot has demanded more control in possession with emphasis on balancing the dichotomy between the risk and reward factor.
Liverpool’s midfield trio have followed those instructions perfectly, playing as if they are teammates for more than half a decade. Gravenberch and Szoboszlai earned a 68th-minute substitution after their performance while Mac Allister earned his rest in the 80th minute.
Ryan Gravenberch
Fotmob stats revealed that Gravenberch enjoyed 91% passing accuracy (44 passes), creating one big chance and making 100% successful dribbles. The 22-year-old had 52 touches with four passes into the final third as he provided continuous support to the Reds defenders acting as the two quarterbacks.
Defensively, the Dutch international enjoyed 100% tackle victories with one clearance and eight recoveries while completing two defensive actions. Furthermore, Gravenberch won 50% of his duels (two out of four) against physically strong opponents to establish his dominion between the defensive channels.
Alexis Mac Allister
Meanwhile, his double-pivot partner Mac Allister delivered another eye-catching performance, creating the most chances (three) in the match. The Argentinian is a pivotal part of the Reds’ setup under Slot, something that the Kopites appreciate a lot.
The 26-year-old enjoyed 94% passing accuracy (53 passes) with four passes into the final third including one accurate long ball. The Argentina international had 79 touches along with five touches inside the opposition box, showcasing his tendency to bombard forward.
Mac Allister enjoyed 67% successful dribbles (two out of three) in the congested advanced spaces with Ipswich narrowing their formation. Defensively, the 26-year-old won 100% tackle, one clearance and a clearance through header, along with two interceptions.
Furthermore, he made three recoveries and completed five defensive actions while winning five out of 11 duels. The World Cup winner also earned two fouls for Liverpool at critical places, showing his close control and quick feet.
Dominik Szoboszlai
Szoboszlai opened the scoreline for the Reds in the 11th minute of the game after using Ibrahima Konate’s pass effortlessly. The 24-year-old created space with perfect touch and hit a precision shot to beat the goalkeeper.
The Hungary captain has faced minor criticism for the lack of contribution but Liverpool fans admire his selfless hard work. Szoboszlai’s work rate and chemistry with his teammates have played a pivotal role in the attackers’ success.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a 92% passing accuracy (36 passes), creating one big chance with three passes into the final third. Furthermore, Szoboszlai had 67% shot accuracy with 48 touches out of which six touches came within the opposition box.
The 24-year-old had 100% long ball accuracy (two) showcasing his distribution skills in an advanced area. Defensively, the Hungary captain completed one defensive action and made three recoveries while winning one out of two duels.
More Liverpool News
- Ipswich victory highlights the crucial role of two Liverpool quarterbacks
- Liverpool star undeterred by contract saga; continues to put up world-class numbers
- Match Report: Liverpool conserved their energy amid dominant Ipswich Town win
The Reds midfield including Elliott and Jones will play a pivotal role at the latter stage of the season with the emphasis on not having a repeat of their last season’s drop in form. Liverpool will face PSV Eindhoven next in the last Champions League group stage game of the season.
