Liverpool fans are in dreamland. Early-season pace-setting was met with plenty of scepticism from rivals and perhaps certain inward segments. Wait until Liverpool play someone good, rivals seemed to titter.
How about now? Most would say that it’s too early to dream of lifting the Premier League title in May – but what is football if not a platform for allowing such giddy heights to creep into your mind?
Arne Slot has been brilliant, absolutely brilliant. The sharp-witted Dutchman has allowed Liverpool’s vastly talented squad to spread its wings and reach new heights, with victories over Real Madrid and Manchester City finally silencing the doubters who lay in wait for such opponents to put the Reds to the sword.
How about now? Liverpool are flying, nine points clear of Arsenal and Chelsea, tied together in second, whereas Pep Guardiola’s battered super-team have ceded further ground at Anfield and now trail by 11 miserable points.
Liverpool's best performers vs Man City
Slot has sculpted Liverpool into an all-consuming winning machine, and with each passing fixture, the hopes of rivals that Liverpool will falter fade. On Merseyside, the furore swells.
So many home players impressed against City, who are horribly out of sorts but still pose a devastating threat, should they smell blood.
Only, chances were in short supply against a redoubtable Liverpool backline. Even with Ibrahima Konate sidelined, Virgil van Dijk’s brilliance proved too much for Erling Haaland and Co, with Joe Gomez proving invaluable once again, stepping in and dynamically fusing with his captain.
Praise for Mohamed Salah, whose goal-and-assist display has taken his haul to 13 goals and 11 assists across 20 matches in all competitions under Slot’s wing. He’s rather good, that one.
Prize-winning performances from all angles, but a significant portion of credit must be placed at Dominik Szoboszlai’s feet. The Hungary captain was mesmerising in his dogged and successful attempts to overwhelm City, who have won the past four league titles in a row.
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Dominik Szoboszlai's tireless performance
He’s faced detractors throughout the 2024/25 season for his meagre rate of goal contributions, but despite this, Szoboszlai is showcasing quality of the highest standard.
Minutes played
61′
90′
Goals
0
0
Assists
0
0
Touches
37
71
Shots (on target)
3 (1)
3 (2)
Accurate passes
18/27 (67%)
47/57 (82%)
Key passes
1
4
Dribbles (completed)
0 (0)
1 (0)
Tackles + interceptions
0
2
Total duels (won)
2 (2)
6 (4)
Szoboszlai is coming on leaps and bounds; don’t be deceived by his lack of prolificness. The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle awarded the Hungarian with a 9/10 match rating, writing: ‘Set the tempo early on with excellent pressing, intercepting City passes and used ball swiftly and accurately and got off a few shots too. Second half more difficult but was running harder than most in closing stages.’
Last season, when Liverpool drew with City as they fought for the title, Szoboszlai was handed a 6/10 rating, with his efforts to lead the press failing.
Liverpool swarmed City like a nest of hornets in the opening phase, rewarded through Gakpo’s goal. Szoboszlai was the life force, making the most ball recoveries (seven) and being hailed for putting in “one of his best performances” by journalist Bence Bocsak.
He lost the ball 13 times but this was only in the pursuit of playmaking success. It paid off, with four key passes reinforcing his efforts.
The superlatives rolled in. Reporter Keifer MacDonald hailed the attacking midfielder for being “flawless once again” while a Hungarian journalist even claimed that he looked like a “one-man band” under the Anfield lights, supercharging Liverpool’s attacking success.
Szoboszlai is stepping up. Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea, Liverpool’s closest title rivals, all carry elite-level number tens in Kevin De Bruyne, Martin Odegaard and Cole Palmer, and now the 23-year-old is proving that he is shaping into a superstar of a similar ilk.
He’s in the same ballpark for sure, with FBref’s player comparison model ranking Odegaard as one of his most comparable players, for example. The Norwegian is “definitely a £100m plus player” – according to journalist Paul Brown – which only highlights the level that Liverpool’s energetic ace could yet reach.
Obviously, the Arsenal skipper is operating at a superior level, all things considered, but Szoboszlai is making headway alright, and could now bloom into a £100m player and tirelessly drive the Redmen toward a prosperous future.
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