One of the enduring images from Liverpool’s statement 2-0 win at Man City in February was of Dominik Szoboszlai collapsing to his knees in exhaustion at the full-time whistle.
The midfielder, who returns to the Etihad with the champions on Super Sunday, had just turned in a virtuoso, lung-busting display – no Liverpool player covered more than his 11.54km that afternoon – creating Mohamed Salah’s opener after a cleverly-worked short-corner routine, before doubling the visitors’ lead with a cool finish from his more advanced role.
Head coach Arne Slot changed his formation to “play with two No 10s”, one of who was the versatile Hungarian, a tactical masterstroke behind the win that extended Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League to 11 points and saw them all but crowned champions.
Dominik Szoboszlai at full time at the Etihad in February
When, two months later, the title was confirmed, it was one built on the foundations of a new-look midfield comprising Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, the trio signed two years earlier by Jurgen Klopp after the Reds had decided to pull out of the running for Jude Bellingham.
Szoboszlai had impressed in the first half of his debut campaign at Anfield, with now trademark piledrivers against Aston Villa and Leicester City, before fading after injuring his hamstring at the turn of the year.
Sunday 9th November 4:00pm
Kick off 4:30pm
The all-action midfielder was then rushed back too quickly with Liverpool still battling on all four fronts, only to aggravate the same injury against Chelsea and be sidelined for 12 games, not returning until March as Klopp’s injury-ravaged side began to falter down the home straight.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Jamie Carragher heaped praise on Liverpool’s corner routine against Manchester City after Dominik Szoboszlai’s classy assist set up Mo Salah’s opener at the Etihad in February
Under Slot’s management, though, Szoboszlai produced more consistent displays, helped also by his medical team keeping the player in peak physical condition so he could feature in 36 of Liverpool’s 38 league games last season, contributing six goals and seven assists.
This campaign, however, has seen the 25-year-old’s game move to an even higher level, so much so that despite being utilised as a makeshift right back at times after early-season injuries to both Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, he has been Slot’s best performer so far.
Whether that be in the early weeks of the campaign when the team while winning, was clearly stuttering and needing moments of individual brilliance to get them over the line, such as his outrageous late free lick to beat title rivals Arsenal at Anfield in August – the third longest top-flight strike this season at 31.9 yards.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
The best of RefCam so far this season in the Premier League.
Or during the champions’ recent losing run, it was Szoboszlai again outperforming his team-mates, as seen in the 3-2 defeat at Brentford, while it should come as no surprise that when Slot urgently needed his side to get back on track ahead of a massive week, it was the Hungary international again to the fore.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
A look at some of the most iconic Liverpool goals scored against Manchester City in the Premier League
Having both assisted and scored in Liverpool’s 5-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, the midfielder then saved his best for last with two man-of-the-match displays as Aston Villa and Real Madrid were beaten at Anfield to get the Reds back on track.
Characteristically, Szoboszlai outran all his team-mates [11.18km] against Villa last Saturday night, while on Tuesday evening he covered the second-most distance against Real, creating the winner for Mac Allister with an undefendable cross and having five shots – four on target – as well as playing three key passes.
And it is no coincidence that in seeking a way to end Liverpool’s four-match losing run in the league, Slot opted to go back to basics and revert to the make-up of last season’s title-winning midfield.
That meant no more Szoboszlai playing out of position at right back as the team was losing his vital dynamism and running power in midfield – see the way he pressed to steal possession on the edge of the area and set up a one-on-one chance against Villa – while it also meant positioning the No 8 closer to Salah on the right of the Reds’ front three, immediately reinvigorating the Egyptian.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
FREE TO WATCH: Highlights of the Premier League match between Liverpool and Aston Villa
“He’s been outstanding throughout the whole season,” said Slot ahead of Sunday’s trip to City. “But these two games bought even more out of the team and out of him.
“Dominik has a lot of qualities and one of them is his work without the ball. In the last two games, that was even above his own standards.”
Dominik has a lot of qualities and one of them is his work without the ball. In the last two games, that was even above his own standards.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
All of which means the Liverpool boss will be loathe to change things at the Etihad [unless he went with the same formation as in February’s win], with Szoboszlai’s increasing influence on the champions such that £116.5m summer signing Florian Wirtz’s only real way of keeping his starting place is by edging out Cody Gakpo on the left of the forward line.
Watch Man City vs Liverpool live on Sky Sports this weekend from 4pm, kick-off 4.30pm
