One of the most memorable images of Liverpool's 2-0 win over Manchester City in February was the moment Dominik Szoboszlai knelt down to the pitch exhausted as soon as the final whistle blew.
The Hungarian midfielder had an explosive and comprehensive performance. No Liverpool player ran more than him in that match - 11.54 km - proving his tireless efforts.
Szoboszlai was the one who started the sophisticated corner kick combination that helped Mohamed Salah open the scoring, before doubling the gap for the away team with a cool finish.
Coach Arne Slot at that time changed the Liverpool squad to a double-digit formation of 10. One of the players taking on this role is the versatile midfielder of Hungary. This tactic played a key role in helping The Kop win, widening the gap leading the Premier League to 11 points and getting closer to the championship.
Two months after the title was conferred, Liverpool's success was built on the foundation of a new midfield consisting of Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch. This is the trio that Jurgen Klopp signed 2 years ago, after The Kop decided to withdraw from the race for Jude Bellingham.
Szoboszlai made a strong impression in the first half of his first season at Anfield, with classic headers against Aston Villa and Leicester City. However, his form has declined somewhat after suffering a hamstring injury at the beginning of the year.
The midfielder was then rushing back too early as Liverpool were still struggling in all four competitions, making the old injury more serious in the match against Chelsea. As a result, he was sidelined for 12 games and will not return until March.
However, under the wise management of Arne Slot, Szoboszlai has shown more stable performance. Partly thanks to the dedicated support from the medical team, he has maintained his best physical condition and played in 36/38 of Liverpool's Premier League matches last season, contributing 6 goals and 7 assists.
The 2025-2026 campaign has seen the 25-year-old's playing style reach a new level. Although he has been used temporarily at right-back after injuries to Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong, Szoboszlai has been Slot's top player so far.
Even in the first weeks of the season, when Liverpool continued to win but still struggled, it is clear that Szoboszlai's individual shining moments played a key role in helping the team get past the finish line.
Even in the "Red Brigade's recent losing streak, Szoboszlai has stood out above his teammates - such as in the 2-3 defeat to Brentford. With Slot in dire need of a team back on track before an important week of competition, the Hungarian player once again shined. He has proven his great influence in the Liverpool squad.
"He has been playing excellently throughout the season. But the last two games have helped both the team and him show more. Dominik possesses many qualities, and one of them is the ability to handle the ball delicately.
In the last two matches, that ability even surpassed his already high standard" - Arne Slot said before the match against Man City.
