Forget Szoboszlai: Liverpool Duo 'Reborn' With Gravenberch Now in Danger

· GiveMeSport

The senior Liverpool pair are really impressing under Andoni Iraola this season

Liverpool advanced to the fourth round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday night after beating Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 at Anfield, but the game wasn't without its scares for the hosts.

Liverpool looked to be cruising through against Roberto De Zerbi's men after going 2-0 up in the second half, but they actually lost control of midfield when Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch replaced youngsters Trey Nyoni and James McConnell in the 62nd minute.

Conor Gallagher pulled one back for the visitors 20 minutes from time, and Spurs had their chances to take the game to penalties, before a stunning goal from Szoboszlai wrapped up proceedings in injury time.

The Hungary international will hog the headlines because of the quality of the strike, but there were some other impressive senior performances from players who struggled for form last term under former boss Arne Slot.

Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo scored the goals for the Merseyside outfit with two fine finishes, and they were also from players who could have left Anfield during the summer transfer window.

The latter was heavily linked with a move to both Tottenham and Manchester City in the final weeks of the window, with the suggestion that if they landed a replacement, that Liverpool were ready to sell the Dutchman to City in a £85m deal.

Meanwhile, Mac Allister came out publicly earlier this month and said he could have left the club, and that he was disappointed at not being offered a new contract to stay at the club he loves.

> I received the news that the club was not in a position to offer me a new contract, which of course makes me very, very sad.

> “Everyone can see I give 100 percent for this football club, every single day in training, games.

> “Of course, I can have very good games, bad games, like everyone, but I always give my best.

> “I see Dominik and Ryan renewing their contracts and that makes me very happy because they deserve it, but at the same time it makes me a little bit sad that I didn’t get mine.”

The performances of Mac Allister and Gakpo both on the night, and this season, haven't gone unnoticed, with Liverpool journalist Lewis Steele posting on X that they are both 'reborn' under Iraola.

He isn't wrong either, when you look at how the duo have performed in the opening weeks of the season, even though they haven't started every game.

Gravenberch was a crucial cog in Liverpool's outstanding 2024-25 Premier League title win and a firm favourite for Slot, but last season wasn't his best and that has continued into the current campaign too.

He has only started two of the Merseyside outfit's fixtures so far this season, and he appears to have already fallen behind Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in the midfield pecking order.

The Dutchman did little to boost his chances of working his way back into the starting XI with his 30-minute cameo against Tottenham, as the Reds looked weaker in midfield than they did when 19-year-old Nyoni and 22-year-old McConnell were on the pitch.

Szoboszlai wasn't great either, but he has something in his locker that Gravenberch doesn't, as he can lash one in from 30 yards out to mask other shortcomings.

Nyoni is now making a strong case to be ahead of the Netherlands international in the pecking order too, with Liverpool's midfield looking extremely balanced with him alongside Mac Allister on Tuesday.

Gravenberch only signed a new six-year deal in March, but he needs to start showing a lot more if he wants to have a long-term future at Anfield.

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