Liverpool fans are still revelling in their statement win over Manchester United on Sunday.
The Reds became only the second Premier League team to win all three of their games so far, joining Manchester City at the top of the table.
There was so much to like about the way Liverpool went about their business at Old Trafford. The United match was a big test on paper, but Arne Slot and his team did not make it look that way.
Amid a sensational team performance, there were some clear standouts. Mohamed Salah was excellent while Luis Diaz looks like a player reborn.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s midfield shone again, with Ryan Gravenberch catching the eye most. Beside Gravenberch, though, his two partners in the middle of the pitch deserves immense praise, too.
Arne Slot creates Liverpool ‘masterpiece’
Throughout the last two summer transfer windows, much of the focus has been on how Liverpool can improve their midfield.
In 2023, the Reds brought four new midfielders into the first-team squad, each with the potential to improve the starting XI.
Then, having successfully integrated Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Gravenberch, there was a keenness this summer to get an elite defensive midfielder through the door.
In the end that didn’t happen, with Slot forced to go with what he already has at his disposal. So far, though, that has resulted in Gravenberch stepping up and Mac Allister and Szoboszlai looking assured beside him.
READ MORE: Arne Slot made a subtle change with Dominik Szoboszlai against Man United
Between them, the trio have missed just one minute of action across the opening three games. And according to former Chelsea player Frank Leboeuf, they look perfectly matched to each other.
“They’re more secure defensively, they want to make sure that if they lose the ball they don’t have only the two centre-backs defending,” Leboeuf told ESPN FC.
“You win games in the middle of the park and when you see Mac Allister, Gravenberch and Szoboszlai, the work that they do and how they combine together defensively and offensively, it’s a masterpiece for me.
“They do it very well and it’s why we don’t see Trent Alexander-Arnold being an issue defensively because they can cover even him defensively with Konate,” adds the Frenchman. “So, everything is united, everything is perfect.”
Jorg Schmadtke leaves his legacy
Liverpool’s midfield has been completely revamped in a relatively short space of time. Go back just 18 months and we were still seeing a three of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara, for example.
Obviously, a lot of the work has been done in the transfer window. And despite plenty of praise coming Richard Hughes’ way recently, most of the credit for that lies with former sporting director Jorg Schmadtke.
Schmadtke was only in place with the club for a short while, but while Mac Allister was done before his arrival, he brokered the deals for Szoboszlai, Endo and Gravenberch.
Initially, one or two of the players did not appear to chime with Klopp’s very specific and intense system. However, with Slot now aboard, the vision is completely clear.
There is still a chance that Liverpool do push to sign another number six in the next year. Perhaps they could come back in for Martin Zubimendi, even. For now, though, the Mac Allister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai axis does indeed resemble a work of art.
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