18x Possession Lost, 50% Ground Duels Won: 23yo Star Was Liverpool’s Worst Player vs Forest, Should Be Dropped
Liverpool suffered their first Premier League defeat under manager Arne Slot in a match against Nottingham Forest yesterday.
The Merseyside giants began the season in remarkable form, securing three consecutive league victories. Before the international break, they produced an impressive 3-0 win over Manchester United.
There was an expectation for another routine victory against Forest on Saturday, but the team struggled to convert chances in the final third, leading to a surprising 1-0 loss at Anfield, which took many by surprise.
The defeat brought more negatives than positives, and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai had a particularly disappointing game, losing possession 18 times throughout the match.
The Hungary international also committed three fouls and had a pass completion rate of just 78%. Aside from one blocked shot, he posed little threat in attack. Playing in an attacking midfield role, the 23-year-old won only 50% of his ground duels.
Szoboszlai was fortunate to avoid a red card during stoppage time. After committing a foul, he kicked the ball away in frustration. Already on a yellow card, he could have easily been sent off.
Liverpool now face a trip to Milan for Tuesday’s Champions League clash against AC Milan. Slot is expected to make several changes to the starting lineup following the loss to Forest, with Szoboszlai possibly among those to be benched.
Slot has already demonstrated a lack of tolerance for underperformance, making proactive and unexpected substitutions early in games during the first few weeks of the season.
The new Champions League format begins with a 36-team league phase, with each team playing eight matches—four at home and four away. Every match will be vital, as the top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16.
Teams finishing between 9th and 24th will enter a knockout play-off. Liverpool will need a strong start with a win over AC Milan at the San Siro in midweek.
In other Liverpool news, Arne Slot Disagrees With Danny Murphy’s Liverpool Verdict After First Premier League Defeat
