Mohamed Salah was speaking from a position of experience and expertise. “He is one of the best players in the world right now,” said a man who could have been described in such terms for much of the past decade. Many a Liverpool player in that time has been asked to eulogise about Salah. Now it may have been a sign of a shift in the pecking order at Anfield that he was being invited to praise Dominik Szoboszlai.
Salah did, and willingly. While, when the Egyptian was dropped in November and the Hungarian took his spot on the right wing, they are friends, and when Szoboszlai has borrowed Salah’s yoga-inspired goal celebration against Barnsley, it was an affectionate tribute. Now, in another role reversal, Szoboszlai has outscored Salah.
‘One of the best in the world right now’: Liverpool have a new talisman in Szoboszlai (REUTERS)
Arne Slot has had his disagreements with Salah this season but, without going quite as far as the winger, said: “I think there are a lot of very good-to-elite football players in the world but I definitely agree with Mo that Dom is one of them.”
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A statistic may support that argument. Szoboszlai’s latest all-action display came against Brighton in the FA Cup but this season, only Kylian Mbappe has more goal contributions in the Champions League. He has eight, scoring four, assisting four. There are big contributions among them. Szoboszlai has a late winner against Inter in San Siro. He supplied Alexis Mac Allister for the only goal against Real Madrid. He took the corner for Virgil van Dijk’s injury-time decider against Atletico Madrid. He put Liverpool ahead in Marseille.
No wonder, then, that Salah said: “This season we rely on him so much.” There had been, however, a temptation to wonder if his status would slip this season, following the arrival of Florian Wirtz. Instead, he has started every Premier or Champions League game this season, apart from when he has been banned. It was evident Slot liked Szoboszlai in his debut year at Anfield; but it was notable, too, that the head coach said that, to play in midfield for Liverpool, you had to score goals. The Hungarian got too few, eight in 49 then.
“When said that I maybe had to add that you need to run a lot if you play in the midfield for Liverpool,” said Slot now. “But I think what I meant was, as a No.10, you need to produce goals.”
Which Szoboszlai is now doing, but from a variety of roles. He reached double figures for the campaign on Saturday – equalling his best return for RB Leipzig – but the 10th came with a powerful surge from deep as a central midfielder. His spectacular free kicks against Arsenal and Manchester City each came when operating as a right-back. “He hasn’t always played in the No 10 position but is producing more and more goals,” noted Slot.
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Part of it stems from his set-piece expertise; so do his assists. Szoboszlai can take free kicks that Salah used to get or corners that, in previous years, would have gone to Trent Alexander-Arnold. He has long struck the ball in a way that exudes class. Now it brings more menace. More excitement, too: when striding forward but outside the box on Saturday, the Liverpool faithful were calling on him to shoot.
(REUTERS)
When he does, he seems to be turning Liverpool’s goal-of-the-season award into a one-man contest. Their player of the year prize had already felt decided: Szoboszlai again. One comparison with Liverpool’s past could be Danny Murphy, their player of 2002-03 but in a disappointing campaign when too many others underachieved.
Yet the barnstorming run that brought his goal on Saturday and his ferocious long-range shooting are more reminiscent of perhaps Liverpool’s most iconic captain, who was also no stranger to starring as others struggled. “Actually, I am not playing a Steven Gerrard season although he was a legend for the club,” insisted Szoboszlai. “I try to do my own story.”
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Everything in it can revolve around him. He seems to have inherited some of Gerrard’s main-character energy. Szoboszlai has gone into overdrive in 2026. In his last nine games, he has five goals, two assists, one goal given away in ridiculous fashion against Barnsley and one red card. He was man of the match at Arsenal and, had Liverpool held on to their lead against Manchester City, probably would have received the award again. He has looked a worthy inheritor of Gerrard’s No 8 shirt.
Szoboszlai’s style and drive are reminiscent of another Liverpool No 8 (AFP via Getty Images)
He may yet get his armband. Szoboszlai looks a leader and a path to the captaincy is opening up. Alexander-Arnold left last summer, Andy Robertson may follow this, perhaps Salah too. Virgil van Dijk has 18 months left on his deal and is 34. Szoboszlai seems a possible successor.
“He is still young,” warned Slot. “He has a lot of attributes already, especially when it comes to leading by example. There is still a step to make in terms of leadership, a voice in the dressing room if I compare him to Virgil, which is completely normal. Virgil is 34 and has seen [James] Milner, [Jordan] Henderson and these players, so it’s really good for Dominik that he sees Virgil.”
But when Salah sees Szoboszlai now, he believes he is watching one of the world’s best players. And that is a sign of what a stunning season the Hungarian is having.
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