1 day Ago By Matt Smith
Liverpool duo Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo played a crucial role in their victory over AC Milan in the Champions League, and The Athletic's James Pearce was wowed by their performances. The Reds secured an impressive 3-1 victory at the San Siro, despite going behind early on thanks to a Christian Pulisic opener. Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Dominik Szoboszlai replied to give Arne Slot's side the three points in their first Champions League fixture of the season.
Gakpo and Gravenberch, who were far from guaranteed starters under Jurgen Klopp last term, were particularly outstanding despite neither of the duo getting on the scoresheet. Gakpo and Gravenberch 'Outstanding' for Liverpool Writing on X, The Athletic's Pearce picked out Gakpo and Gravenberch as two talking points from the match, labelling the Dutch duo as 'outstanding' ..
. "FT: Milan 1 #LFC 3: Triumphant start to Liverpool's Champions League campaign. Really impressive European away display at San Siro.
Kept their heads after Pulisic's early opener and completely dominated. Konate, VVD and Szoboszlai with the goals. Gakpo/Gravenberch outstanding.
" Gakpo and Gravenberch vs AC Milan Statistic Gakpo Gravenberch Duels Won 7 3 Shots 3 0 Chances Created 2 0 Successful Dribbles 4 0 Pass Completion 82% 90% Tackles Won 1/1 1/1 Match Rating 8.2 7.4 Gakpo and Gravenberch, who earn a combined £270k-a-week at Anfield , were both given an opportunity to impress from the start in the Champions League.
Gravenberch has been a regular under Slot this season, starting all four Premier League fixtures, but Gakpo has had less joy domestically this term. The former PSV Eindhoven forward has played just 86 minutes in the league since the campaign got underway. He's now given Slot something to think about in attack, but it's going to be difficult for Gakpo to break into the starting XI.
Luis Diaz has enjoyed an impressive start to the season on the left-hand side of attack, scoring three goals and providing one assist in the Premier League. The Merseyside outfit host Bournemouth on Saturday as they return to domestic action. The Reds will be hoping to bounce back after being defeated at home to Nottingham Forest last time out at Anfield.
Alexis Mac Allister was sensational as Liverpool opened up their Champions League campaign with a brilliant win. Dominik Szoboszlai Answers Critics It's been a tricky start to the season for Dominik Szoboszlai who has failed to set the world alight under the guidance of Slot. Journalist Pete Hall has criticised the performances of the Hungarian international, claiming that his struggles for consistency "remain a serious cause for concern" .
The former RB Leipzig midfielder answered his critics on Tuesday evening against AC Milan, scoring the third and final goal of the match, putting daylight between the two sides. Szoboszlai will certainly have to do more to win over the whole fanbase, but the Champions League clash was a chance for him to start to build some momentum. All statistics courtesy of FotMob - correct as of 18/09/2024.
