Liverpool beat AC Milan 3-1 on matchday 1 of UEFA Champions League last Wednesday. The win was important for the Reds, but what was also significant that Dominik Szoboszlai scored his first goal of the season to ensure the win.
Arne Slot’s Liverpool, which has made a transition to a 4-2-3-1 from a prevalent 4-3-3 under former manager Jürgen Klopp, has been playing Szoboszlai as the No. 10 in that formation. Like most of the other No. 10s in the other top teams, Szoboszlai will also like to get involved in scoring goals more often.
Szoboszlai Helped with Goals Last Seson
The Hungarian played in 45 matches last season and hence, his return can be called modest. This was despite his having a good shot and an attacking intent. In comparison, people like Bruno Fernandes, Martin Ødegaard and Kevin de Bruyne have regularly been reaching double digits in terms of scoring goals in each of the last few seasons. De Bruyne played in only 26 matches last season and yet came up with six goals in them.
Fernandes and Ødegaard are also usually potent goal-scoring threats. Liverpool has a very potent front-three, but more goals from the No. 10 is not going to hurt. Szoboszlai is not a typical No. 10 in terms of playing incisive passes to the forwards or creating opportunities, and is a more direct No. 8 instead.
Hence, he is unlikely to register too many assists and should try to contribute more by scoring more goals himself. Liverpool, who quite surprisingly lost to Nottingham Forest in their last Premier League match, will look to bounce back from that reversal.
If the 23-year-old Hungarian midfielder can reach double digits in terms of scoring goals this season, Liverpool will definitely be in contention to win the league title. As both Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch are going to play in deeper roles, Szoboszlai will have to contribute more offensively.
His powerful shots from the edge of the opposition penalty box could prove to be a very effective way of scoring goals, as he has shown in the past. The Hungarian is quite tall, too, and should continue to pose a significant aerial threat as well.
Liverpool Has Some Challenging Games Ahead
Liverpool will play against Bournemouth, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Crystal Palace in their next three matches in the Premier League. They will also play West Ham in the EFL Cup, and a Champions League game at home to Bologna.
The Reds have one of the strongest squads in Europe and will want to win at least one piece of silverware to continue their resurgence that began under the tutelage of Klopp. Slot will like to continue the good work of his predecessor, and winning a title in his debut season as the Reds’ manager might go a long way in that regard.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool is able to give Manchester City and Arsenal a stiff challenge in England. For that to happen, Szoboszlai is going to be a key element in Liverpool’s set-up.