Arne Slot has delivered a stunning verdict on Dominik Szoboszlai, branding the Liverpool midfielder’s recent form “close to ridiculous”. This was ahead of the Reds Emirates FA Cup fourth round clash with Brighton Hove Albion.
There are certain players every head coach gravitates towards. They are the ones who make complex systems function through sheer force of will. Moreover, they are the ones who set the standards at the AXA Training Centre without a hint of fuss.
For Arne Slot, that player is Dominik Szoboszlai.
Speaking at the AXA Training Centre on Friday morning ahead of Saturday Emirates FA Cup fourth-round tie with Brighton & Hove Albion, Slot allowed himself a moment of genuine admiration. This occurred when discussing his Hungarian number eight.
“I cannot stop talking about his qualities,” Slot said, his voice carrying a rare edge of enthusiasm. “Close to ridiculous, on and off the ball. Work-rate another level, the intensity, the way he presses… unbelievable. Technique, game insight offensive midfielder, right-back, right winger. He has been vital for us.”
The “ridiculous” tag might feel like a reach to the uninitiated, but, it is simply an honest appraisal. It describes a player who has become the indispensable pulse of this Liverpool side.
Perhaps the most “ridiculous” aspect of his season has been his adaptation to the defensive crisis. With Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley sidelined, Slot asked Szoboszlai to play as an inverted right-back.
Most playmakers would struggle with the defensive orientation, but Szoboszlai’s game insight what Slot calls his “game feeling” allowed him to tuck into midfield during build-up. Furthermore, he can sprint back to cover the wide channel during transitions.
It is a dual-role that requires a level of physical conditioning and tactical intelligence. Few players in world football possess this combination.
The absence that proved the point
Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Sunderland on Wednesday night was the kind of three points that “champions” are supposed to grind out. While the performance remained a vital result for the title race for the visitors, the cracks in the system were hard to ignore.
Specifically, the Hungarian powerhouse sat out the midweek victory while serving a suspension for his controversial dismissal against Manchester City. Consequently, the team lacked its usual tactical cohesion. Even though Liverpool secured the win, the absence of their midfield engine was felt throughout the ninety minutes.
That red card followed a chaotic sequence involving Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki a decision Slot privately viewed as harsh. Without their midfield engine, the Liverpool press lacked its usual bite, proving just how much the squad misses his “ridiculous” energy.
Without him, the Liverpool press lacked its usual intensity. The distances between the lines stretched. Sunderland on the other-hand , found pockets of space that simply don’t exist when Szoboszlai is leading the charge. He doesn’t just run he dictates the collective geometry of the team.
While the summer was dominated by the arrival of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké, the consensus among the Anfield faithful is that the real star has been the man who was already there. S
teven Gerrard recently suggested Szoboszlai “probably edges” Wirtz in the Player of the Season stakes, and it’s hard to argue with the sheer weight of his contribution.
His highlights reel this season is anchored by two moments of pure technical brilliance. The Arsenal screamer: A 30-yard direct free-kick that essentially defied physics to dip past David Raya and preserve Liverpool’s perfect start.
a vicious, swerving set-piece from 25 yards that left Gianluigi Donnarumma rooted to the spot. It was a moment of technical perfection that had Anfield momentarily convinced the three points were secure. However, the narrative shifted cruelly in the final ten minutes.
Bernardo Silva’s late equaliser and a stoppage-time penalty from Erling Haaland eventually completed a smash-and-grab 2-1 win for City. However, Szoboszlai’s strike remained the game’s masterpiece.
The City match ended in of VAR mayhem that leaves even the managers bewildered. In the 99th minute, with Alisson Becker caught upfield for a corner, Rayan Cherki aimed a shot from the halfway line toward Liverpool’s empty net.
What followed was a bizarre footrace between Szoboszlai and Haaland. The Hungarian was sent off for a shirt-pull on the Norwegian a denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Yet, Haaland responded by dragging Szoboszlai down as the ball rolled into the net.
VAR bizarrely ruled out Cherki’s goal to award a City free-kick and the red card instead for the Reds midfielder.
Perhaps Szoboszlai’s greatest trick has been his utility. Injuries have forced Slot to shuffle his deck repeatedly, and the Hungarian has been the ace that fits any suit.
He has seamlessly transitioned from a creative ten to a high-functioning right-back. His “inverted” movements have allowed Liverpool to maintain control in central areas during personnel crises.
| Stat Category | Dominik Szoboszlai (25/26 Season) |
| Starts / Minutes Played | 24 / 2,153 |
| Goal Involvements | 4 Goals / 5 Assists |
| Direct Free-Kicks | 3 Goals (inc. Arsenal & Man City) |
| Ball Recoveries | 5.2 per game |
| Duels Won | 3.6 per game |
| Key Passes | 1.8 per game |
The loss of Wataru Endo to a serious ankle injury at Sunderland has only heightened the need for Szoboszlai’s return.
As Brighton head to Merseyside looking to cause an upset as this competition is known for, Slot knows he needs his most complete player back on the pitch.
He hasn’t been perfect the red card and a few errors leading to shots remind us he is playing at an intensity that occasionally spills over. But as Liverpool chase a Champions League spot and domestic silverware, Szoboszlai isn’t just a part of the system. He is the reason it works.
