Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has moved to praise playmaker Dominik Szoboszlai after his performance in Sunday’s win over Aston Villa.
Dominik Szoboszlai has been hailed as a ‘machine’ by boss Jurgen Klopp following his goal against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Klopp was speaking to Liverpool’s official website after seeing his side coast to a 3-0 victory at Anfield.
Szoboszlai got the scoring started, firing a stunning left-footed strike into the net from the edge of the box.
Matty Cash’s own goal made it 2-0 and Mohamed Salah secured a 3-0 win, handing Liverpool a third straight victory.
This new Liverpool side is really starting to click and Szoboszlai has been vital.
Liverpool paid the £60million release clause in Szoboszlai’s contract at RB Leipzig this summer and he is proving to be good value for money.
Klopp hailed Szoboszlai as a ‘machine’, suggesting that he has been ‘absolutely impressive’ in all four of his Premier League appearances for Liverpool.
Klopp added that the Hungarian international is doing all the dirty work too with his pressing earning real praise from the Reds boss.
“A machine, huh? That’s now all four games,” said Klopp. “Pretty impressive, absolutely impressive. Tactically smart, absolutely ready for the dirty part of the game – meaning hard work where it’s not the fancy stuff where they are shooting, crossing, running forward, stuff like this. No, he is really closing down opponents.”
“So important how Curt and Dom defended the half-spaces next to Darwin, super-important. And what a goal! I saw it directly from behind. That was the cleanest strike I saw for a long time. And that was his slightly lesser-good foot. That was, again, a top performance,” he added.
Dominik Szoboszlai adds a new dimension to Liverpool
Liverpool have mostly utilised a very workmanlike midfield since Philippe Coutinho’s move to Barcelona in January 2018.
The Reds have focused their midfield on the likes of Fabinho, James Milner, Gini Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson in recent years, rather than bring in a like-for-like Coutinho replacement.
Szoboszlai is a departure from that idea though and arrived as more of a number 10 or even winger from his RB Leipzig days.
Klopp has been utilising Szoboszlai as a number eight but his attacking play has been clear for all to see in his early weeks at Anfield.
Szoboszlai is so willing to work hard off the ball and get stuck in that this seems to be working, giving Liverpool a real attacking thrust from midfield whilst still contributing defensively.
The hope is that Szoboszlai can keep this form going consistently, and it’s hard not to be excited about him at just 22.
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