---
title: "Dominik Szoboszlai Issues Bold Liverpool Title Claim Despite Arsenal Blow "
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/dominik-szoboszlai-bold-liverpool-title-claim-arsenal-blow/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Naz Yusuf"
section: "Liverpool News"
published: "2026-11-02T18:39:00Z"
modified: "2026-11-02T18:39:00Z"
---

# Dominik Szoboszlai Issues Bold Liverpool Title Claim Despite Arsenal Blow

There is something compelling about a player who refuses to compromise on ambition, even when the league table suggests otherwise. But as Liverpool absorb the sting of Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Arsenal at Anfield, Dominik Szoboszlai’s post-match comments have sparked a fierce debate across Merseyside.

Andoni Iraola’s side were left trailing nine points behind the reigning champions after Kai Havertz’s first-half goal decided a tense affair. At times, Liverpool were fantastic to watch and had the Gunners backpedalling, but the visitors’ defensive resilience ultimately carried them over the line.

Szoboszlai returned from a hamstring issue as a second-half substitute, replacing young Trey Nyoni on the hour mark.

[Speaking to *Viaplay*](https://x.com/ViaplayFotball/status/2116968436194521262?s=20)after the final whistle, the Hungarian midfielder was characteristically candid about the Reds’ frustrating inconsistency.

Reflecting on Liverpool’s hot-and-cold form so far this season, the 26-year-old didn’t hold back:

> *“Some days it feels like we are at the top, and some days it feels like we are not even close.”*

> **“It takes time to be at the top, I think.”**

Yet, despite sitting nine points off the pace, Szoboszlai’s belief in Liverpool’s standard remains unwavering. When pressed on what would constitute a successful campaign for the Reds, his answer was direct:

> **“To win the league.”**

> **“We are Liverpool, we always have to be there with this mindset and then work for it, and let’s see.”**

You have to admire the mentality. At a club like Liverpool, aiming for anything less than silverware isn’t in the DNA. But for Kopites watching on, the gap between that lofty ambition and the reality on the pitch feels tied directly to how our midfield functions.

Szoboszlai was outstanding for Liverpool last season, standing out as his side’s best player during a tough campaign for so many reasons.

But the dissenting voices are growing with the Hungarian by the week, with some frustrated by the lack of control and discipline he brings to the side.

Like Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, he is an exceptional technical footballer, but is his gung-ho style to the detriment of Liverpool as a team?

The root of the issue lies in tactical balance:

- **The Pivot Problem:** Szoboszlai doesn’t work in a double pivot. Trey Nyoni was excellent there alongside Alexis Mac Allister against Arsenal, offering spatial awareness and holding midfield structure before his substitution.
- **The No. 10 Congestion:** The natural central attacking role behind the striker remains the best spot for Szoboszlai, or even wide right.
- **The Wirtz Conflict:** Deploying Szoboszlai as the primary ten would mean displacing Florian Wirtz, who has shown encouraging signs of life in recent weeks. Trying to fit both into central areas leaves Liverpool over-committed ahead of the ball and defensively fragile.

Szoboszlai feels almost like a square peg in a round hole under Iraola’s system right now. That may surprise observers from the outside looking in especially given his knack for scoring spectacular goals but the eye test doesn’t lie.

It will be fascinating to see how Liverpool’s head coach navigates this conundrum ahead of a heavy winter schedule. It hasn’t gone unnoticed among supporters that the Reds’ recent stretch of fluent, controlled football coincided with Szoboszlai being sidelined.

Whether Iraola shifts Szoboszlai wide, uses him as a dynamic option off the bench, or adjusts his double-pivot setup, a solution must be found quickly. If Liverpool are to make good on Szoboszlai’s ambition of challenging at the summit, consistency isn’t just a preference it is a necessity.