1 day Ago By [email protected] (Ben Crawford, Fasika Zelealem)
Dominik Szoboszlai has been one of the standout players for Liverpool so far this season, and club icon John Barnes has even compared him to Reds hero Steven Gerrard Hungarian maestro Dominik Szoboszlai has earned high praise from Liverpool club icon John Barnes – drawing lofty comparisons to Anfield legend Steven Gerrard thanks to his sizzling form under new manager Arne Slot . Having joined the squad last July for what proved to be Jurgen Klopp's final term at the helm, Szoboszlai impressed in his debut campaign. Despite a hamstring setback and a modest tally of seven goals and four assists across competitions, he is now flourishing in a slightly more attacking midfield role under Dutchman Slot.
Szoboszlai has now been hailed by Barnes, who commended him for his versatility and technical skill, likening his style to that of Gerrard's in his prime. In an exclusive chat with Ladbrokes, Liverpool FCs official betting partner, Barnes discussed Szoboszlai's place in the team he's clearly earned. READ MORE: I do not regret leaving Liverpool - they miss me more than I miss them READ MORE: Paul Scholes explains why he's convinced Arne Slot doesn't like Trent Alexander-Arnold "I don't think it's fair to say Dominik Szoboszlai has ever been forced into the Liverpool team.
.. he earned his position in the team.
He's a fantastic player," Barnes said. "He can do everything. He could play under Jurgen Klopp in terms of his height, his strength and his ability to drive forward, play quickly and counter-attack.
He can also play in a very composed manner, so he can play in that number six role, or that number eight role." The former Reds winger even said: "He's the closest I've seen to Steven Gerrard. You know, in terms of his range of passing, his dribbling, chasing back, his tackling.
.. I look at him as an old-school midfielder who gets up and down.
These days, you're generally one or the other; you're Kevin De Bruyne or you're Rodri. "But Szoboszlai can do both, and so I think that the way Arne Slot wants to play will really, really suit him, because he's a very technical player, with the physical attributes to do so much more. We've seen it on several occasions already this season, but for me he's just a typical Liverpool player.
" The Anfield legend also noted that Szoboszlai could be key in reducing the burden on Ryan Gravenberch, who has taken on the number six role under Slot. Despite Liverpool's unsuccessful pursuit of a defensive midfielder this summer, notably Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, Barnes believes the club is still likely to address this position again in the future, reports the Mirror . "Of course, that number six role was identified as an area Jurgen Klopp wanted to address," he said.
"That's why Endo was brought in as a short-term fix, with Martin Zubimendi maybe being the guy they wanted to bring in. LFC: Join our WhatsApp community, sign up to a newsletter or listen to our podcasts HERE "But if you look at the way Arne Slot wants to play, there are many players, all of a sudden, within that squad who can do that job, and do it well. You know, Dominik Szoboszlai can player there, so can Ryan Gravenberch, and Curtis Jones can, too.
" Reflecting on Liverpool's situation and looking towards future possibilities, Barnes concluded: "A specialist number six would be ideal. We were unable to get who we wanted in the summer, and I wouldn't be surprised if that number six position is one we look at again in the future, but it's an area I think we're more than capable of coping in for now." Szoboszlai scored in Liverpool's Champions League opener on Tuesday night away to AC Milan as they won 3-1 at the San Siro, and he is expected to start again on Saturday (3pm) when the Reds host Bournemouth in the Premier League .
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