Klopp could soon unleash Liverpool’s next Szoboszlai in rarely-seen teen

Liverpool ended fears of a slump in form with a convincing victory over Brentford at Anfield to conclude their play before the November international break of the campaign.

Having fallen by the wayside in the Premier League last season, Liverpool are back with a vengeance this year and have mounted a charge against the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur for a place at the forefront over the first phase.

Of course, the season is still a long way from approaching the business end, and for now Jurgen Klopp will urge his side to focus on one match at a time (a cliche, but an apt one), deepening the collective understanding and instilling confidence and swagger.

But the recent draw against Luton Town in the English top flight and the abject defeat against Toulouse in the Europa League highlights the work that still needs to be done to lift the squad to its apex.

Against Thomas Frank’s Bees, the Reds emphatically returned to winning ways, and that’s despite a host of injuries and suspensions that had left the midfield rather threadbare, with exciting youngster James McConnell coming off the bench in the late stage to make his second senior appearance.

One man who retained their starting spot was Dominik Szoboszlai, who served admirably in the engine room once again. While further work will be conducted in the upcoming windows, Szoboszlai’s role as the centrepiece in the middle will unquestionably remain the same.

Why Liverpool signed Szoboszlai

The £120k-per-week star made the move to Anfield after Klopp and co met his £60m release clause, and he has manufactured an alacritous return to full strength at the centre of the park, charging Liverpool’s exploits this season.

Having warded off rival attention from Newcastle United, Liverpool now wield one of the most robust midfielders in the business, with Szoboszlai playing a central role in RB Leipzig’s successive triumphs in the DFB Pokal.

As the table suggests, he is technically proficient, elegant and powerful, pumping creativity back into Liverpool’s system while also recharging the strength of the centre.

Last season, the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho were at the epicentre of the woes, and it was imperative for Klopp to get it right in the summer and avoid more misery.

Well, he certainly appears to have made the perfect moves to rekindle the flame, and Szoboszlai will continue to be the life force in the middle after his resounding start to life at Anfield.

Szoboszlai’s season by numbers

Across 17 appearances so far, Szoboszlai has posted two goals and assists apiece from a deeper role than he is perhaps used to after serving higher up in Germany.

Nonetheless, he’s been fantastic, completing 88% of his passes in the Premier League, as per Sofascore, averaging 2.3 key passes and making 7.3 ball recoveries per game, proving to be an omnipresent figure on the pitch.

As per FBref, the Hungary captain ranks among the top 16% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for progressive carries, the top 6% for successful take-ons and the top 6% for blocks per 90.

Described as an “artist” by talent scout Jacek Kulig following his creative masterclass against Aston Villa earlier this season, assisting two goals, Szoboszlai offers all the tools Klopp could hope for.

The victory over Brentford emphasised the need to have some kind of replacement though, and given that McConnell is wedging his way into Klopp’s reckoning, he could be the man to mould.

Liverpool’s next Szoboszlai

McConnell might’ve earned his first two professional appearances this season, coming in the Premier League and Europa League, but he has scarcely enjoyed much action in that regard.

However, he has starred twice in the EFL Trophy and impressed as Liverpool’s development side dismantled Morecambe Town 3-0; across the two outings, as per Sofascore, he completed 71% of his passes, won 55% of his duels, succeeded with 67% of his dribbles, and incredibly made 13 ball recoveries, three tackles and 1.5 clearances and interceptions per game.

While he might be billed as an offence-minded midfielder, there is clearly an innate defensive ability and tenacity that is probably what has prompted Klopp and his team to nurture him to the fore.

James McConnell’s style of play

Indeed an attacking midfielder by trade, McConnell is demonstrating a pleasing level of dynamism and, having gone under the radar amid the concurrent rises of the likes of Bobby Clark and Stefan Bajcetic, could bring the all-action ability needed to serve as Szoboszlai’s understudy.

Given McConnell’s “combative” presence in midfield, as has been remarked by reporter Neil Jones, he could be the perfect foil for Szoboszlai in the centre, maybe even better suited to this specific role than Harvey Elliott.

Elliott’s immense potential is without question; the 20-year-old has completed 82 matches for Liverpool, scoring six goals and supplying five assists, and while he is arguably Liverpool’s most creative midfielder – after Szoboszlai – his physical work needs attention.

On this note, he ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 6% for progressive carries per 90, but had been criticised for being “outmuscled” when the Reds were at their nadir before the summer.

The same cannot be said for the ‘combative’ McConnell, and given that he is earning more opportunities to prosper under Klopp’s guidance by the month, he could find a big role on Merseyside after the new year.

Szoboszlai, for all his quality, cannot be expected to play all of the time, and Klopp might now be able to save millions by entrusting Liverpool’s latest academy star with a place in the senior set-up.