In an interview with the ECHO, Danny Murphy discussed Dominik Szoboszlai’s early years at Liverpool.
Szoboszlai made his Liverpool debut during the 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge earlier this month. On Saturday, he made his Anfield debut as Liverpool overcame a 1-1 halftime deficit to defeat Bournemouth 3-1.
After Antoine Semenyo scored at the Kop end less than three minutes into the game, the Hungarian played a crucial role in the Reds’ comeback triumph. Soon after Mohamed Salah was fouled by Bournemouth midfielder Luis Diaz, Szboszlai gave Mohamed Salah the opportunity to give the Reds the lead from the penalty spot.
Szoboszlai’s Anfield exploits didn’t end there, either. Liverpool’s new No. 8 continued to exert pressure on Bournemouth even after Alexis Mac Allister was dismissed for a later-overturned challenge on Ryan Christie. His thunderbolt proved too strong for Neto to handle, allowing Diogo Jota to follow up from close range.
After just two appearances for the Reds, Szoboszlai has left Murphy speechless, and he claims that Szoboszlai reminds him of a young Steven Gerrard, who made his debut for Gerard Houllier’s first squad in 1998.
I have to be quite honest with you, I’ve been really floored by how excellent he is,” Murphy stated in an interview with the ECHO, courtesy of Full Circle with bet365. So I I looked into some of his parts and tried to research him as much as I could online.
“You know how you don’t see a lot of the defensive work and the industry; instead, you see a lot of the excellent online, like shoots and goals and talents, and you never take it entirely for real.
The “highlight reels” and “bits” you can uncover fool you into believing everything is okay. I wondered where he would fit him in, how he would play, whether he would play the three again, whether he could defend, or if he was just one of those forward-thinking midfielders.
“Trying through examining these various pieces, to arrive at these findings. I therefore worked on the Chelsea-Liverpool game and then, since I got to watch all the football, I also watched the Liverpool-Bournemouth game for work. I’m astonished beyond belief by him.
When Liverpool visits St. James’ Park on Sunday afternoon to play Newcastle United, Szoboszlai is expected to get the start. The 22-year-old is scheduled to start alongside Mac Allister, and Wataru Endo, the Reds’ newest midfield addition from the summer, is predicted to get his first start.
When asked what Szoboszlai will bring to the table this weekend in the North East, Murphy responded, “He’s elegant, yet a powerhouse at the same time. He possesses a physicality that that I can only attribute to what I observed once Stevie joined the team.
“It’s that capacity to move past and through people, but also that lovely elegance of understanding where people are and small, subtle gestures. He reminded me of Stevie G, however I’m not suggesting he is Stevie G. He reminded me of him in the way he moves and the way he flies past people.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever had someone come into a squad and make as great an impact as he had in the first two games. He’s got a bit to go before he can reach to Gerrard’s levels. He suffocated them for the opening 30 minutes of Chelsea; it wasn’t just him, but he was the key contributor.
In football, you typically find either incredibly nifty technical players or those that are really destructive. You are either good at one or the other, and if you excel at both, you are suddenly considered to be a top player. He is fortunately in an exceptional group because he looks great in both.
“As I said, I’m a little stunned,” he continued. Given how well I know Liverpool’s scouting networks, I believe I probably shouldn’t be. Over the years, they have produced a number of outstanding players.
So even though I shouldn’t be, I am. His first two games were outstanding, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.
